Morning photography at Huguenot Memorial Park in Jacksonville, FL continues to be fabulous with no wind or a SE breeze instead of the forecast wind from the SW. David and Michele Pugsley headed home after their third great morning. It is the best year for chicks in more than two decades. I have room for you in the AirBnB for three nights — beginning on Monday 29 June. If you are nearby and can make it, text me at 863-221-2372 to learn about a practically free IPT. It never hurts to try.
Saturday past was the very first time that I used the 200-600 with the a-1 ii. And it turned out to be a perfect lens for tern flight (and more) at Huguenot. Scroll down to learn exactly why the 200-600 and the 400-800 are two completely different animals (AKA tools).
We finally got what we wanted on Sunday afternoon: cloudy bright with a strong wind from the south. And lots of images of the larger chicks jumping into the air and exercising their wings.
Today is Monday June 2025. Can you believe how the months are rolling by? Vasili and I will be at the beach at 6:00am sharp again when the gates open in hopes of a mega-sunrise. The forecast is for mostly cloudy with a SW breeze at 4-6 mph; not great. We might be spending some time on the low tide sand flats. We are again of course, hoping for SE instead of SW. Whatever you opt to do, I hope that you too choose to have a wonderful and productive day and that you have fun too. Do remember that happiness is a choice — Byron Katie, The Work.Com.
If an item — a Delkin flash card, a Levered-clamp FlexShooter Pro, or a Wimberley lens plate — for example, that is available from B&H and/or Bedfords, is also available in the BAA Online Store, it would be great, and greatly appreciated, if you would opt to purchase from us. We will match any price. Please remember also to use my B&H affiliate links or to earn 3% cash back at Bedfords by using the BIRDSASART discount code at checkout for your major gear purchases. Doing either often earns you free guides and/or discounts. And always earns my great appreciation.
Your Call?
Which of today’s four images is best? Why? Be sure to take a crack at the crop question at image #4.
In the Last Blog Post
In the last blog post I felt that Vasili’s Image #2, Royal Tern chick downing jumbo shrimp, was the best by far. Feeding images are nearly impossible for many reasons; this one told a story and getting the chick and the shrimp sharp was pretty much a miracle. Most folks agreed with me.
Gear Questions and Advice
Too many folks attending BAA IPTs and dozens of photographers whom I see in the field and on BPN, are — out of ignorance — using the wrong gear, especially when it comes to tripods and more especially, tripod heads. And the same is true in spades when ordering new camera bodies or lenses. My advice will often save you some serious money and may help you avoid making a seriously bad choice. Please know that I am always glad to answer your gear questions via e-mail. If you are desperate, you can try me on my cell at 863-221-2372. Please leave a message and shoot me a text if I do not pick up.
Don’t Just Shoot: Learn
If you are interested in changing your life and becoming a better photographer by joining me on an Extended IPT at Sebastian Inlet for Ospreys and more (SEPT 25 to NOV 24, 2025) in San Diego for Pacific-race Brown Pelicans and more (JAN 6 to FEB 2, 2026), for Roseate Spoonbills at Stick Marsh mid-March 2026, please e-mail for dates, rates, terms, and additional information. Or shoot me a text to 863-221-2372. All offerings include options for shared AirBnB lodging. Ground transportation during your stay is a possibility.
B&H Simplified
To ensure that I get credit for your B&H purchases, you can always click here. The tracking is invisible but using my affiliate links is greatly appreciated. And, with B&H, you can use your PayBoo card. You must use the website to order. You cannot get your free guides if you make a phone order. Once you have an item in your cart, you must complete the order within two hours. Huge thanks!
B&H
Many folks have written recently stating that they purchased a Sony a1 from B&H and would like their free membership in the Sony 1 Info and Updates Group, a $150.00 value. But when I check my affiliate account, their orders have not been there. When I let them know that they get credit for B&H purchases only if they use one of the many B&H affiliate links on the blog or begin their searches with this link, they are always disappointed. If in doubt, please contact me via e-mail and request a BH link. I am always glad to help and to guide you to the right gear.
Bedfords Simplified
Click here to start your search. Choose standard shipping, and when you get to the payment page, enter BIRDSASART in the discount code box and hit apply. You will be upgraded to free second day air Fed-Ex and receive 3% cash back on your credit card once your stuff ships. Using either my affiliate links is greatly appreciated and will often earn you free guides or discounts.
Bedfords Amazing BAA Discount Policy
Folks who have fallen in love with Bedfords can now use the BIRDSASART coupon code at checkout to enjoy a post-purchase, 3% off-statement credit (excluding taxes and shipping charges) on orders paid with a credit card. The 3% credit will be refunded to the card you used for your purchase. Be sure, also, to check the box for free shipping to enjoy free Second Day Air Fed-Ex. This offer does not apply to purchases of Classes, Gift Cards, prior purchases.
Visit the Bedfords website here, shoot Steve Elkins an e-mail, or text him on his cell phone at (479) 381-2592.
This image was created on 28 June 2025 at Huguenot Memorial Park, Jacksonville, FL. Standing at full height, I used the handheld Sony FE 200-600mm f/5.6-6.3 G OSS lens (at 600mm) and The Latest Greatest Sony Flagship Body, the a1 II Mirrorless Camera. The exposure was determined by Zebras with ISO on the rear wheel — ISO 800: 1/4000 second at f/6.3 (wide open) in Manual mode. RawDigger showed that the exposure was 1/6 stop short of perfect. AWB at 7:38:14am on a mostly sunny morning.
Wide/AF-C with Bird-Eye/Face Detection performed perfectly. Click on the image to enjoy the larger, inexplicably sharper high-res version.
Image #1: Royal Tern in flat flight with butterfish (?) for chick
Image copyright 2025: Arthur Morris/BIRDS AS ART
Why the 200-600 When You Own the 400-800?
I’ve been using the handheld 4-8 while seated for both chicks and for flight. But with the right wind, I prefer standing for flight and after a while, the 4-8 is simply too heavy for me to handhold for extended periods. So when we take a flight walk to look for a spot where the birds are turning toward us to land, I switch out the 4-8 for the somewhat lighter 200-600 (4.65 lbs. vs. 5.45 lbs.) Despite being less than a pound lighter, I can pretty much handhold it forever for flight. Item last: it is a lot easier to find and frame fairly distant subjects at 600mm than it is at 800mm.
Backgrounds Other Than Sky
As you can see in this and the following image, the Sony a-1 ii rarely has a problem with backgrounds other than sky. While I will always attempt to acquire focus on the bird with a sky background and then follow it down, the a- ii will usually attain AF even when you start with relatively busy backgrounds.
This image was created on 28 June 2025 at Huguenot Memorial Park, Jacksonville, FL. Standing at full height, I used the handheld Sony FE 200-600mm f/5.6-6.3 G OSS lens (at 600mm) and The Latest Greatest Sony Flagship Body, the a1 II Mirrorless Camera. The exposure was determined by Zebras with ISO on the rear wheel — ISO 800: 1/4000 second at f/7.1 (stopped down 1/3- stop) in Manual mode. RawDigger showed that the exposure was 1/3 stop short of perfect. AWB at 7:54:46am on a mostly sunny morning.
Wide/AF-C with Bird-Eye/Face Detection performed perfectly. Click on the image to enjoy the larger, inexplicably sharper high-res version.
Image #2: Royal Tern in flat flight with butterfish (?) for chick
Image copyright 2025: Arthur Morris/BIRDS AS ART
Flat Flight
Flat flight images work best either when the bird is flying directly at you or angling toward you. If you photograph a bird in flat flight from the side, you wind up with a pancake. In other words, not too good. For best results, try to keep the wind (and the light) behind you.
This image was also created on 28 June 2025 at Huguenot Memorial Park, Jacksonville, FL. Standing at full height, I used the handheld Sony FE 200-600mm f/5.6-6.3 G OSS lens (at 600mm) and The Latest Greatest Sony Flagship Body, the a1 II Mirrorless Camera. The exposure was determined by Zebras with ISO on the rear wheel — ISO 1000: 1/4000 second at f/6.3 (wide open) in Manual mode. RawDigger showed that the exposure was dead-solid perfect. AWB at 8:24:47am on a mostly sunny morning.
Wide/AF-C with Bird-Eye/Face Detection performed perfectly. Click on the image to enjoy the larger, inexplicably sharper high-res version.
Image #3: Royal Tern in flight with Spanish Mackerel for chick
Image copyright 2025: Arthur Morris/BIRDS AS ART
Wings Up, Zero Shadows
Wings fully up or wings fully down are generally big plusses for flight images. And, in a perfect situation, with the bird right on sun angle, it is possible to make a flight image with no shadows anywhere. With the amazing AF accuracy offered by today’s high end mirrorless camera bodies, the standards as to what makes a great flight image are being raised continually. The Complete and Quintessential Guide to Photographing Birds in flight by Arash Hazeghi, Ph.D., and Arthur Morris, BIRDS AS ART, will be released soon and will surely help folks to raise the bar even higher.
This image was also created on 28 June 2025 at Huguenot Memorial Park, Jacksonville, FL. Standing at full height, I used the handheld Sony FE 200-600mm f/5.6-6.3 G OSS lens (at 474mm) and The Latest Greatest Sony Flagship Body, the a1 II Mirrorless Camera. The exposure was determined by Zebras with ISO on the rear wheel — ISO 1000: 1/4000 second at f/6.3 (wide open) in Manual mode. RawDigger showed that the exposure was 1/2. stop short of perfect. AWB at 8:08:18am on a mostly sunny morning.
Wide/AF-C with Bird-Eye/Face Detection performed perfectly. Click on the image to enjoy the larger, inexplicably sharper high-res version.
Image #4: Royal Tern with (bug-eyed!) shrimp for chick
Image copyright 2025: Arthur Morris/BIRDS AS ART
How Large a Crop?
This one looks quite sharp to me. Actually, it looks stunningly sharp. What percentage of the original frame do you think is depicted? Reveal in the next blog post.
I have found that eye-tracking for general bird photography with the a-1 ii is far, far better than with the original Sony a-1. It grabs the eye and tracks it faster and far more consistently and focus is rarely lost, even with backgrounds other than sky.
For birds in flight, the a-1 ii Mirrorless Camera body has no equal. As Arash Hazeghi says, “It is better than the a-1.” When I am late getting on a bird in flight, I have consistently been amazed at how often the AF system of the a-1 ii finds and tracks the bird’s eye.
When it comes to Pre-Capture with the a-1 ii Mirrorless Camera body, Arash and I agree 100%. And with my slower reflexes, Pre-Capture is more important for me than it is for Arash. Understand that in each of the images in Composite #3, I did not push the shutter button until after the bird took flight!
I continue to be amazed by speed and accuracy of the Bird Face-Eye tracking and the overall performance of the camera. Aside from the improved ergonomics as compared to the a-1, the rear screen that tilts both horizontally and vertically is a huge plus, as is Pre-capture that allows me to create take-off images that I missed! The resolution on the rear monitor has been improved dramatically. And the 51MP files are to die for.
If you plan on purchasing Latest Greatest Sony Flagship Body, the Sony a-1 ii, please click here to purchase from B&H and earn your free a-1 ii e-Mail Guide. Or, get 3% back on your credit card by purchasing from Bedfords using this link and entering the BIRDSASART discount code at checkout. Folks who use one of the two affiliate links above to purchase their Sony a-1 ii will receive my .DAT settings (the complete camera set-up), a Buttons and Dials Guide, and the a1- ii Info Sheet for free.
If you have already purchased an a-1 ii, you can join the e-mail group by sending a PayPal for $227.43 to us at samandmayasgrandpa@att.net.. So, yes, it never hurts to use my affiliate links and it never costs you one penny more. And if you contact me via e-mail.before you make a major purchase, I can always advise you and often save you some money.
Typos
With all blog posts, feel free to e-mail or to leave a comment regarding any typos or errors.
The forecast for the Friday morning past at Huguenot Memorial Park was for partly cloudy with a southwest breeze. Partly cloudy in Florida usually means full sun ten minutes are sunrise and that was the case on the 27th. The good news is that the breeze at the beach was from the southeast so flight photography was there for the taking. And there were many hundred Royal Tern chicks on beach behind the new ropes. I actually love the ropes as you do not have to deal with human footprints. The chicks were quite skittish early on but as the sun rose, they became more copasetic. The afternoon forecast was for totally cloudy with a southwest with scattered thunderstorms. Not bad. The reality was a 20-knot wind from the southeast and bright sun till 7:30pm 🙁 So we got a whole lotta nuthin’ until right before they kicked us out of the park.
I was joined by part of the last Galapagos crew — Vasili Chernishoff (here from LA for all ten days) and David and Michelle Pugsley (here for three days from Plant City, FL). Vasili was up to his usual self creating 15,476 images with his Canon EOS R1.
Today is Saturday 28 July 2025. We will be back at the beach at 6:00am sharp again when the gates open in hopes of a mega-sunrise. The forecast is for mostly sunny and SW at 3-4 mph. We are of course, hoping for SE. Whatever you opt to do, I hope that you too choose to have a wonderful and productive day and that you have fun too. Do remember that happiness is a choice — Byron Katie, The Work.Com.
If an item — a Delkin flash card, a Levered-clamp FlexShooter Pro, or a Wimberley lens plate — for example, that is available from B&H and/or Bedfords, is also available in the BAA Online Store, it would be great, and greatly appreciated, if you would opt to purchase from us. We will match any price. Please remember also to use my B&H affiliate links or to earn 3% cash back at Bedfords by using the BIRDSASART discount code at checkout for your major gear purchases. Doing either often earns you free guides and/or discounts. And always earns my great appreciation.
Your Call?
Which of Vasili’s four images is best? Why?
In the Last Blog Post
In the last blog post I had four favorites: William Wang’s cell phone shot of me heading into the gloaming; the single tern chick with its foot raised for the low perspective and the cuteness factor; the ethereal foggy back shot of the tern; and the squabbling terns for the action and two decent flight poses.
Gear Questions and Advice
Too many folks attending BAA IPTs and dozens of photographers whom I see in the field and on BPN, are — out of ignorance — using the wrong gear, especially when it comes to tripods and more especially, tripod heads. And the same is true in spades when ordering new camera bodies or lenses. My advice will often save you some serious money and may help you avoid making a seriously bad choice. Please know that I am always glad to answer your gear questions via e-mail. If you are desperate, you can try me on my cell at 863-221-2372. Please leave a message and shoot me a text if I do not pick up.
Don’t Just Shoot: Learn
If you are interested in changing your life and becoming a better photographer by joining me on an Extended IPT at Sebastian Inlet for Ospreys and more (SEPT 25 to NOV 24, 2025) in San Diego for Pacific-race Brown Pelicans and more (JAN 6 to FEB 2, 2026), for Roseate Spoonbills at Stick Marsh mid-March 2026, please e-mail for dates, rates, terms, and additional information. Or shoot me a text to 863-221-2372. All offerings include options for shared AirBnB lodging. Ground transportation during your stay is a possibility.
B&H Simplified
To ensure that I get credit for your B&H purchases, you can always click here. The tracking is invisible but using my affiliate links is greatly appreciated. And, with B&H, you can use your PayBoo card. You must use the website to order. You cannot get your free guides if you make a phone order. Once you have an item in your cart, you must complete the order within two hours. Huge thanks!
B&H
Many folks have written recently stating that they purchased a Sony a1 from B&H and would like their free membership in the Sony 1 Info and Updates Group, a $150.00 value. But when I check my affiliate account, their orders have not been there. When I let them know that they get credit for B&H purchases only if they use one of the many B&H affiliate links on the blog or begin their searches with this link, they are always disappointed. If in doubt, please contact me via e-mail and request a BH link. I am always glad to help and to guide you to the right gear.
Bedfords Simplified
Click here to start your search. Choose standard shipping, and when you get to the payment page, enter BIRDSASART in the discount code box and hit apply. You will be upgraded to free second day air Fed-Ex and receive 3% cash back on your credit card once your stuff ships. Using either my affiliate links is greatly appreciated and will often earn you free guides or discounts.
Bedfords Amazing BAA Discount Policy
Folks who have fallen in love with Bedfords can now use the BIRDSASART coupon code at checkout to enjoy a post-purchase, 3% off-statement credit (excluding taxes and shipping charges) on orders paid with a credit card. The 3% credit will be refunded to the card you used for your purchase. Be sure, also, to check the box for free shipping to enjoy free Second Day Air Fed-Ex. This offer does not apply to purchases of Classes, Gift Cards, prior purchases.
Visit the Bedfords website here, shoot Steve Elkins an e-mail, or text him on his cell phone at (479) 381-2592.
This image was created on 27 June on the first morning of the Huguenot Memorial Park/Jacksonville Royal Terns and Chicks and More Extended IPT by many multiple IPT veteran Vasili Chernishof. Seated on dry sand he used the handheld Canon RF 600mm f/4 L IS USM Lens with the Canon Extender RF 2x and the remarkable Canon EOS R1 Mirrorless Camera. ISO 1000: 1/2500 sec at f/8 (wide open) in Manual mode. AWB at 7::16:48am on a sunny morning.
Image #1: Royal Tern chick flapping wings
Image courtesy of and copyright 2025: Vasili Chernishof
Image Optimization by Arthur Morris/BIRDS AS ART
Vasili, the 600, the 2X, and the Canon EOS R1. Handheld!
For most of our wonderful first morning, Vasili handheld at 1200mm. At times, he lamented that the chicks were too big in the frame. Being able to zoom in and out with the 400-800, I actually felt sorry for him at times. After seeing so many of his very excellent images from the morning, I realized that the last thing he needed was my sympathy. As in San Diego, I was mega-impressed with the autofocus capabilities of the Canon R1.
This image was also created on 27 June on the first morning of the Huguenot Memorial Park/Jacksonville Royal Terns and Chicks and More Extended IPT by many multiple IPT veteran Vasili Chernishof. Seated on dry sand he used the handheld Canon RF 600mm f/4 L IS USM Lens with the Canon Extender RF 2x and the remarkable Canon EOS R1 Mirrorless Camera. ISO 1000: 1/2500 sec at f/8 (wide open) in Manual mode. AWB at 7:18:01am on a sunny morning.
Image #2: Royal Tern chick downing jumbo shrimp
Image courtesy of and copyright 2025: Vasili Chernishof
Image Optimization by Arthur Morris/BIRDS AS ART
Amazing AF Performance
How any mirrorless camera grabbed focus on the chick’s eye in the exceedingly difficult situation will always be a mystery to me. Kudos to Canon and to Vasili on this image.
This image was also created on 27 June on the first morning of the Huguenot Memorial Park/Jacksonville Royal Terns and Chicks and More Extended IPT by many multiple IPT veteran Vasili Chernishof. Seated on dry sand he used the handheld Canon RF 600mm f/4 L IS USM Lens with the Canon Extender RF 2x and the remarkable Canon EOS R1 Mirrorless Camera. ISO 800: 1/2500 sec at f/8 (wide open) in Manual mode. AWB at 7:34:59am on a sunny morning.
Image #3: Royal Tern chick swallowing prey item
Image courtesy of and copyright 2025: Vasili Chernishof
Image Optimization by Arthur Morris/BIRDS AS ART
What Prey Item?
What prey item did this chick just swallow?
This image was created on 23 January 2025 on a San Diego In-the-Field session by multiple IPT veteran Vasili Chernishof. Kneeling on damp sand, he used the hand held Canon RF 100-300mm f/2.8 L IS USM lens with the Canon Extender RF 1.4x (at 420mm) and the remarkable Canon EOS R1 Mirrorless Camera. ISO 400: 1/4000 sec at f/4 (wide open) in Manual mode. AWB at 8:28:30am on a sunny morning.
Image #4: Royal Tern in flight with baitfish for chick
Image courtesy of and copyright 2025: Vasili Chernishof
Image Optimization by Arthur Morris/BIRDS AS ART
Taking a Flight Walk
After sitting for two hours photographing Royal Tern chicks of varying sizes and coloration, Vasili and I grabbed our favorite flight lenses, the 100-300 f/2.8 for him, and the Sony 300mm f/2.8 GM for me. Each of use added the matching 1.4X TC. Vasili wanted to make an image with some of the dunes’ greenery in the frame and he did that beautifully with Image #4.
Typos
With all blog posts, feel free to e-mail or to leave a comment regarding any typos or errors.
Why the Sony 400-800 on a Foggy Day? by Arthur Morris/BIRDS AS ART
When I first borrowed the Sony 400-800, I assumed that at 5.45 lbs. it was too heavy and that a f/8 on the long end it was too slow for general bird photography. Boy was I wrong. While photographing Roseate Spoonbills at Stick Marsh in March I fell in love with the lens and have used it pretty much every day since then. On a foggy morning in mid-June I opted to head out on Nickerson Beach with only the 400-800 and my a-1 II. It turned out to be the perfect choice despite the low light. Learn why in today’s 12-minute video, and learn a ton about shooting in the fog and about processing foggy images.
Your Call?
Which of today’s featured images is your top pick? Why did you make your choice?
The BIRDS AS ART SONY 400-800mm f/6.3-9 G Super-telephoto Zoom Lens Guide
When I borrowed this lens from Sony, I assumed that at 5.45 pounds it was too heavy to handhold for long and that at f/8 at the long end (800mm,) it was too slow for most bird photography applications. In short, I did not want to like the lens. After a month of using it, I cannot live without it. After returning the loaner, I was miraculously able to get my own from Bedfords on 16 April 2025. In this guide I share everything that I have learned about using the 400-800. For best results, you need to know exactly what you are doing to get the most out of this zoom lens. It would be best, therefore, to consider and study the material in the guide so that you can begin making great images with your new lens.
You will learn how to deal with the relatively show apertures: f/6.3, f/7.1, and f/8 when working in Manual mode.
You will learn how to ensure that you are working at the widest aperture by working in Shutter Priority mode with AUTO ISO.
If you are able to hand hold the lens, you will learn proper hand holding techniques.
If you can’t, you will learn when, why, and how to employ other options. Those include:
1- The knee-pod, heel-pod, and toe-pod techniques
2- Using the lens on a monopod.
3- The best lens plate and low foot for your 4-8.
4- The best tripod and head for the 4-8 and how best to utilize them.
5- How to use the lens from your vehicle while supporting it on a BLUBB (or not and why not).
6- Detailed instructions on how to set and use the lens controls and buttons:
a- AF/MF
b- DMF Switch
c- Limit Range Switch
d- OSS (Optical Steady Shot) Switch
e- OSS Mode Switch
f- Focus Hold Buttons
The guide also includes a Hand Holding Shutter Speed Primer and an illustrative, educational, and inspiring 67-image gallery.
Free to folks who use one of my two affiliate links to purchase their Sony 400-800 G lens. Otherwise, please send a PayPal for $115.43 to birdsasart@verizon.net and include the words “400-800 Lens Guide” in your e-mail.
What’s Up?
Photography down by the lakefront at Indian Lake Estates has been unexpectedly excellent since I got back from NYC. There has been a smattering of cooperative Black-bellied Whistling Ducks, young and adult Killdeer, Green Herons, a dancing Snowy Egret, pied juvenile Little Blue Heron, Great Egret, Tricolored Heron, two juvenile Ospreys, foraging Limpkins, a silly tame juvenile plumage Great Blue Heron on the pier railing, foraging Common Moorhens, both adult and young Sandhill Cranes, and, on Wednesday morning, 25 Black Vultures having a sipping party on the edge of the lake right in front me. That same morning I saw but did not get to photograph a Least Bittern, a rare sight at ILE.
Today is Thursday 26 January 2025. I will be heading down to the lake early in perfect conditions — sunny with a breeze from the northeast. After brunch, a swim, and an early nap, I will drive the almost four hours up to Jacksonville to photograph nesting Royal Terns (7000 pairs), Sandwich Terns (a few dozen pairs), and 10,000 pairs of Laughing Gulls, all with chicks of varying ages from tiny to fledged and flying. Despite offering practically free instruction, I still have room in the AirBnB from 29 June through 5 July (photographing on the last Sunday morning). If interested, shoot me a text to 863-221-2372 and include your e-mail address.
If it is cloudy in the afternoon, I might pop into the St. Augustine Alligator Farm to check on the crop of wading bird chicks. Whatever you opt to do, I hope that you too choose to have a wonderful and productive day and that you have fun too. Do remember that happiness is a choice — Byron Katie, The Work.Com.
If an item — a Delkin flash card, a Levered-clamp FlexShooter Pro, or a Wimberley lens plate — for example, that is available from B&H and/or Bedfords, is also available in the BAA Online Store, it would be great, and greatly appreciated, if you would opt to purchase from us. We will match any price. Please remember also to use my B&H affiliate links or to earn 3% cash back at Bedfords by using the BIRDSASART discount code at checkout for your major gear purchases. Doing either often earns you free guides and/or discounts. And always earns my great appreciation.
In the Last Blog Post
In the last blog post here, I responded to each and every comment and in addition, revealed my favorite image in my response to many multiple IPT veteran and good friend Monte Brown.
Gear Questions and Advice
Too many folks attending BAA IPTs and dozens of photographers whom I see in the field and on BPN, are — out of ignorance — using the wrong gear, especially when it comes to tripods and more especially, tripod heads. And the same is true in spades when ordering new camera bodies or lenses. My advice will often save you some serious money and may help you avoid making a seriously bad choice. Please know that I am always glad to answer your gear questions via e-mail. If you are desperate, you can try me on my cell at 863-221-2372. Please leave a message and shoot me a text if I do not pick up.
Don’t Just Shoot: Learn
If you are interested in changing your life and becoming a better photographer by joining me on an Extended IPT at Sebastian Inlet for Ospreys and more (SEPT 25 to NOV 24, 2025) in San Diego for Pacific-race Brown Pelicans and more (JAN 6 to FEB 2, 2026), for Roseate Spoonbills at Stick Marsh mid-March 2026, please e-mail for dates, rates, terms, and additional information. Or shoot me a text to 863-221-2372. All offerings include options for shared AirBnB lodging. Ground transportation during your stay is a possibility.
B&H Simplified
To ensure that I get credit for your B&H purchases, you can always click here. The tracking is invisible but using my affiliate links is greatly appreciated. And, with B&H, you can use your PayBoo card. You must use the website to order. You cannot get your free guides if you make a phone order. Once you have an item in your cart, you must complete the order within two hours. Huge thanks!
B&H
Many folks have written recently stating that they purchased a Sony a1 from B&H and would like their free membership in the Sony 1 Info and Updates Group, a $150.00 value. But when I check my affiliate account, their orders have not been there. When I let them know that they get credit for B&H purchases only if they use one of the many B&H affiliate links on the blog or begin their searches with this link, they are always disappointed. If in doubt, please contact me via e-mail and request a BH link. I am always glad to help and to guide you to the right gear.
Bedfords Simplified
Click here to start your search. Choose standard shipping, and when you get to the payment page, enter BIRDSASART in the discount code box and hit apply. You will be upgraded to free second day air Fed-Ex and receive 3% cash back on your credit card once your stuff ships. Using either my affiliate links is greatly appreciated and will often earn you free guides or discounts.
Bedfords Amazing BAA Discount Policy
Folks who have fallen in love with Bedfords can now use the BIRDSASART coupon code at checkout to enjoy a post-purchase, 3% off-statement credit (excluding taxes and shipping charges) on orders paid with a credit card. The 3% credit will be refunded to the card you used for your purchase. Be sure, also, to check the box for free shipping to enjoy free Second Day Air Fed-Ex. This offer does not apply to purchases of Classes, Gift Cards, prior purchases.
Visit the Bedfords website here, shoot Steve Elkins an e-mail, or text him on his cell phone at (479) 381-2592.
This image was created on 19 June 2025 at Nickerson Beach Park, Lido Beach, Long Island, New York by William Wang. He used the handheld iPhone 13 Pro Max with the iPhone 13 Pro Max back triple camera 9mm f/2.8 lens. ISO 32: 1/200 sec. at f/2.8.
Image #1: artie heading into the fog at Nickerson Beach
Image courtesy of and copyright 2025: William Wang
Thrilled
I was thrilled when I received an e-mail from William Wang with an iPhone photo of yours truly heading into the fog at Nickerson Beach on the morning of 19 June. Traveling light with the 400-800/a-1 II rig (without a tripod!) is my idea of fun. And despite the low light and the f/8 aperture at the long end, I made some quite excellent images.
This image was created on 19 June 2025 at Nickerson Beach Park, Lido Beach, Long Island, New York. Crouching a bit, I used the handheld Sony FE 400-800mm f/6.3-8 G OSS lens (Sony E) (at 725mm) and The Latest Greatest Sony Flagship Body, the a1 II Mirrorless Camera. Multi-metering +2.0 stops in Shutter Priority mode with Exposure Compensation (EC) on the Thumb Dial. AUTO ISO set ISO 5000: 1/1250 sec. at f/8 (wide open). AWB at 6:27:02am on a then foggy morning.
Wide/AF-C with Bird-Eye/Face Detection performed perfectly. Click on the image to enjoy the larger, inexplicably sharper high-res version.
Image #2: Black Skimmer, adult with Atlantic Silversides (spearing)
Image copyright 2025: Arthur Morris/BIRDS AS ART
Optimizing Foggy Images
Simply by adjusting the sliders under the Light tab in Adobe Camera Raw just as I do for every image, the very foggy raw file was brought to life. Learn how in Digital Basics II and in the Digital Basics III Video Series.
You can view the foggy raw file in the YouTube video above.
This image was also created on 19 June 2025 at Nickerson Beach Park, Lido Beach, Long Island, New York. Seated on damp sand I used the knee-pod technique with the handheld Sony FE 400-800mm f/6.3-8 G OSS lens (Sony E) (at 800mm) and The Latest Greatest Sony Flagship Body, the a1 II Mirrorless Camera. The exposure was determined by Zebras with ISO on the rear wheel — ISO 4000: 1/1000 second at f/8 (wide open) in Manual mode. RawDigger showed that the exposure was dead-solid perfect. AWB at 6:40:12am on a then foggy morning.
Wide/AF-C with Bird-Eye/Face Detection performed perfectly. Click on the image to enjoy the larger, inexplicably sharper high-res version.
Image #3: American Oystercatcher fledgling flapping after bath
Image copyright 2025: Arthur Morris/BIRDS AS ART
Do Not Fear the High ISO Settings
When working in low light with the 400-800, you will — on occasion, need to use some high ISO settings. My double noise reductions techniques detailed in both in Digital Basics II and in the Digital Basics III Video Series can help you to create pleasing, virtually noise-free images with ISOs as high as 12,800.
I was a bit lucky that the 1/1000 sec. shutter speed that I chose was fast enough to freeze the action. Again, you can see the foggy raw file in the YouTube video above.
This image was also created on 19 June 2025 at Nickerson Beach Park, Lido Beach, Long Island, New York. Seated on dry sand and working off the tilted rear monitor, I used the heel-pod technique with the handheld Sony FE 400-800mm f/6.3-8 G OSS lens (Sony E) (at 700mm) and The Latest Greatest Sony Flagship Body, the a1 II Mirrorless Camera. The exposure was determined by Zebras with ISO on the rear wheel — ISO 2000: 1/500 second at f/11 (stopped down one stop) in Manual mode. RawDigger showed that the exposure was dead-solid perfect. AWB at 7:00:00am on a then foggy morning.
Wide/AF-C with Bird-Eye/Face Detection performed perfectly. Click on the image to enjoy the larger, inexplicably sharper high-res version.
Image #4: Common Tern with chick at nest scrape
Image copyright 2025: Arthur Morris/BIRDS AS ART
Degrees of Low-ness
Compare this image with Image #5 below to see the difference in perspective between photos made with the ultra-low heel pod technique and those made with the knee-pod technique.
This image was also created on 19 June 2025 at Nickerson Beach Park, Lido Beach, Long Island, New York. Seated on dry sand I used the knee-pod technique with the handheld Sony FE 400-800mm f/6.3-8 G OSS lens (Sony E) (at 800mm) and The Latest Greatest Sony Flagship Body, the a1 II Mirrorless Camera. The exposure was determined by Zebras with ISO on the rear wheel — ISO 1250: 1/1000 second at f/9 (stopped down 1/3-stop) in Manual mode. RawDigger showed that the exposure was dead-solid perfect. AWB at 7:19:33am on a then foggy morning.
Wide/AF-C with Bird-Eye/Face Detection performed perfectly. Click on the image to enjoy the larger, inexplicably sharper high-res version.
Image #5: Common Tern week-old chick striding with foot raised
Image copyright 2025: Arthur Morris/BIRDS AS ART
A Huge Knee-Pod Technique Advantage
Though I love the ultra low perspective that comes when employing the various foot-pod techniques, it is extremely difficult (at best) to follow a running bird. That is much easier to do using the knee-pod technique because your eye is at the viewfinder.
This image was also created on 19 June 2025 at Nickerson Beach Park, Lido Beach, Long Island, New York. Seated on dry sand I used the handheld Sony FE 400-800mm f/6.3-8 G OSS lens (Sony E) (at 800mm) and The Latest Greatest Sony Flagship Body, the a1 II Mirrorless Camera. The exposure was determined by Zebras with ISO on the rear wheel — ISO 2000: 1/3200 second at f/8 (wide open) in Manual mode. RawDigger showed that the exposure was dead-solid perfect. AWB at 7:45:39am on a then foggy morning.
Wide/AF-C with Bird-Eye/Face Detection performed perfectly. Click on the image to enjoy the larger, inexplicably sharper high-res version.
Image #6: Common Tern kiting into west wind — back shot — foggy version
Image copyright 2025: Arthur Morris/BIRDS AS ART
Foggy Image Optimization Choice I
The photographer can control the look of images made in foggy conditions. Image #6 maintains the foggy look quite well.
Why the Back Flight Shot?
Understand that when the wind if from the west in the morning that flight shots with the bird facing directly away from you may be the best option; they often yield lovely views of the dorsal wing surfaces and interestingly symmetrical wing positions.
This one was created from the same raw file as Image #6.
Image #6A: Common Tern kiting into west wind — back shot — moderate contrast version
Image copyright 2025: Arthur Morris/BIRDS AS ART
Foggy Image Optimization Choice II
With 6A, I increased the contrast a bit to the degree that there is not much visible fog remaining.
This one was also created from the same raw file as Image #6.
Image #6B: Common Tern kiting into west wind — back shot — high contrast version
Image copyright 2025: Arthur Morris/BIRDS AS ART
Foggy Image Optimization Choice III
This was my first attempt but I realized that the I had made the dorsal wing surfaces too dark. So, I went back a first created 6A and finally the foggiest version, Image #6.
Image Question
Which of the three foggy image optimizations do you like best, 6, 6A, or 6B? Why?
This image was also created on 19 June 2025 at Nickerson Beach Park, Lido Beach, Long Island, New York. Seated on dry sand I used the handheld Sony FE 400-800mm f/6.3-8 G OSS lens (Sony E) (at 720mm) and The Latest Greatest Sony Flagship Body, the a1 II Mirrorless Camera. The exposure was determined by Zebras with ISO on the rear wheel — ISO 2000: 1/3200 second at f/8 (wide open) in Manual mode. RawDigger showed that the exposure was dead-solid perfect. AWB at 8:35:07am on a then-sunny morning.
Wide/AF-C with Bird-Eye/Face Detection performed perfectly. Click on the image to enjoy the larger, inexplicably sharper high-res version.
Image #7: Common Tern midair territorial squabble
Image copyright 2025: Arthur Morris/BIRDS AS ART
Finally, the Sun Came Out!
After more than two hours of foggy bird photography, the sun broke through at 8:30am. I got lucky with a few tern squabbling photos, but as the wind strengthened, all the birds were facing away to the southwest.
Generative Fill
As shown in the YouTube Video, I used Generative Fill to remove the aluminum USFWS band from the left leg of the bird on our right. It removed the band perfectly but the leg was a bit too skinny; I used the Transform Tool to fatten the leg a bit so that it looks completely natural.
Typos
With all blog posts, feel free to e-mail or to leave a comment regarding any typos or errors.
Common Tern originals
Images copyright 2025 Arthur Morris/BIRDS AS ART
The Four Originals
Click on the composite above to see a larger, inexplicably sharper version. Before you scroll down, ask yourself, “How would I crop and optimize each of them?”
Your Call?
Which of today’s four featured images is the strongest? Why did you make your choice? In addition, to maximize your learning, check out the to three Image Questions below. I will share my thoughts and answers to the Image Questions with you in the next blog post.
What’s Up?
Sunday morning down by the lake near my home in Central Florida was excellent with clear skies early and a NE breeze. Monday morning was even better! Photos and details at some point. Thanks for all the comments on the last blog post; you can read all of them and see my responses here. My favorite image was #4, Anke Frohlich’s Least Tern chasing a dropped Sandeel.
If you would like to join me in Jacksonville for part of the Now-Practically-Free Royal Terns and More Extended IPT (arriving in one week on 29 June) please get in touch immediately (for the amazing details) via e-mail or shoot me a text to 863-221-2372.
Today is Tuesday 24 June 2025. I will of course be heading out early to check out the lakefront. Whatever you do, consider choosing to have fun.
If an item — a Delkin flash card, or a Levered-clamp FlexShooter Pro head — for example, that is available from B&H and/or Bedfords, is also available in the BAA Online Store, it would be great, and greatly appreciated, if you would opt to purchase from us. We will match any price. Please remember also to use my B&H affiliate links or to earn 3% cash back at Bedfords by using the BIRDSASART discount code at checkout for your major gear purchases. Doing either often earns you free guides and/or discounts. And always earns my great appreciation.
Supporting My Efforts Here
If you enjoy and learn from the blog, are all set for gear, or live overseas, consider leaving a BAA Blog Thank You Gift here.
If you enjoy and learn from the blog, please consider using one of my affiliate links when purchasing new gear. It will never cost you a single penny. To support my effort here, please order from B&H by beginning your search here. Or, click here, to order from Bedfords and enter the discount code BIRDSASART at checkout to receive 3% cash back to your credit card and enjoy free Second-Day Air Fed-Ex shipping. It is always best to write for advice via e-mail.
In many cases, I can help you save some serious dollars. And/or prevent you from purchasing the wrong gear from the wrong shop.
If an item — a Delkin flash card, a Levered-clamp FlexShooter Pro, or a Wimberley lens plate — for example, that is available from B&H and/or Bedfords, is also available in the BAA Online Store, it would be great, and greatly appreciated, if you would opt to purchase from us. We will match any price. Please remember also to use my B&H affiliate links or to earn 3% cash back at Bedfords by using the BIRDSASART discount code at checkout for your major gear purchases. Doing either often earns you free guides and/or discounts. And always earns my great appreciation.
Don’t Just Shoot: Learn
If you are interested in changing your life and becoming a better photographer by joining me on an Extended IPT at Sebastian Inlet for Ospreys and more (SEPT 25 to NOV 24, 2025) in San Diego for Pacific-race Brown Pelicans and more (JAN 6 to FEB 2, 2026), for Roseate Spoonbills at Stick Marsh mid-March 2026, please e-mail for dates, rates, terms, and additional information. Or shoot me a text to 863-221-2372. All offerings include options for shared AirBnB lodging. Ground transportation during your stay is a possibility.
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B&H
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This image was created on 12 June 2025 at Nickerson Beach Park, Lido Beach, Long Island, New York. Seated on dry sand I used I used the hand held Sony FE 300mm f/2.8 GM OSS Lens (Sony E) with the Sony FE 1.4x Teleconverter and the Latest Greatest Sony Flagship Body, the a1 II Mirrorless Camera. Exposure determined via Zebras with ISO on the Thumb Wheel. ISO 2500: 1/4000 sec. at f/4 (wide open) in Manual mode. RawDigger showed that the exposure was perfect: AWB at 6:44:52pm on a variably hazy/variably sunny, variably cloudy afternoon.
Wide/AF-C with Bird Eye/Face Detection enabled performed perfectly.
Image #1: Common Tern wheeling in flight
Image copyright 2025 Arthur Morris/BIRDS AS ART
The Sony 300mm f/2.8 GM Lens at Nickerson
Because I flew to Long Island, I brought only three lenses with me:
I only used the 300 only twice, about 10% of the time. In cloudy conditions, it shines because of its wide apetrture: f/2.8 with the bare lens alone; and f/4 with the 1.4X TC in place. I probably went with the 600 and a tripod about 40% of the time — always in low light. And half the time, I enjoyed the pleasure of being on the beach with just the handheld 400-800, usually in sunny or cloudy bright conditions. With my Delkin Devices 960GB BLACK CFexpress Type A 4.0 Memory Card there was no need to carry my card wallet with an extra card. And no need to bring a tripod. So I hit the beach most of the time with just a single extra battery in my pocket.
On June 12, I grabbed the 300 and both TCs but wound up using the 1.4X TC on occasion — never needed the 2X.
Image Question
See the original above; would you have cropped this one differently?
This image was also created on 12 June 2025 at Nickerson Beach Park, Lido Beach, Long Island, New York. Seated on dry sand I used I used the hand held Sony FE 300mm f/2.8 GM OSS Lens (Sony E) and the Latest Greatest Sony Flagship Body, the a1 II Mirrorless Camera. Exposure determined via Zebras with ISO on the Thumb Wheel. ISO 2000. 1/4000 sec. at f/2.8 (wide open) in Manual mode. RawDigger showed that the exposure was dead-solid perfect: AWB at 7:00:18pm on a variably hazy/variably sunny, variably cloudy afternoon.
Wide/AF-C with Bird Eye/Face Detection enabled performed perfectly.
Image #2: Common Tern braking to land at small colony
Image copyright 2025 Arthur Morris/BIRDS AS ART
The Walkway
There is a small satellite colony consisting of about 10 Common Tern nests fairly close to the dunes at west of the East Colony at Nickerson Beach. If you sit by the ropes, the birds will rise up to peck your head even if you stay well back. So move in, get your spot, and the birds will be back on their nests in a minute or two. There is a blue walkway that runs right by this small roped off area so on busy beach days, the birds will spend plenty of time defending their nests. You can see the walkway at the top of this image. Any wind with some west in it on most afternoons will provide lots of flight opportunities; sitting is just fine.
Image Optimization Note
Check out the original image above for this one and you will see that this one required lots of work in Photoshop.
This image was also created on 12 June 2025 at Nickerson Beach Park, Lido Beach, Long Island, New York. Seated on dry sand I used I used the hand held Sony FE 300mm f/2.8 GM OSS Lens (Sony E) and the Latest Greatest Sony Flagship Body, the a1 II Mirrorless Camera. Exposure determined via Zebras with ISO on the Thumb Wheel. ISO 1600. 1/4000 sec. at f/2.8 (wide open) in Manual mode. RawDigger showed that the exposure was dead-solid perfect: AWB at 7:02:16pm on a variably hazy/variably sunny, variably cloudy afternoon.
Wide/AF-C with Bird Eye/Face Detection enabled performed perfectly.
Image #3: Common Tern with chick and egg in scrape
Image copyright 2025 Arthur Morris/BIRDS AS ART
The Nest Scrape
Both sexes create the nests by shaping a scrape with their bottoms and kicking sand out with their feet. They often line the scrape with grasses, small pebbles, and bits of shell. In the little satellite colony, bits of wooden scraps and driftwood are often employed. Much it out comes from the remains of decaying snow fencing. It is common to see one of the terns picking up bits of shell and tiny twigs and tossing the items behind it toward the nest as they walk away from it. Strangely, though they do this quite often, none of that material ever seems to make its way to the nest.
The Pano Crop
For this one, the pano crop seemed obvious the blank sand above and below did not add anything.
Image Question
Do you like the beach plant in this image?
This image was also created on 12 June 2025 at Nickerson Beach Park, Lido Beach, Long Island, New York. Seated on dry sand I used I used the hand held Sony FE 300mm f/2.8 GM OSS Lens (Sony E) with the Sony FE 1.4x Teleconverter and the Latest Greatest Sony Flagship Body, the a1 II Mirrorless Camera. Exposure determined via Zebras with ISO on the Thumb Wheel. ISO 3200: 1/4000 sec. at f/4 (wide open) in Manual mode. RawDigger showed that the exposure was perfect: AWB at 7:07:21 pm on a variably hazy/variably sunny, variably cloudy afternoon.
Wide/AF-C with Bird Eye/Face Detection enabled performed perfectly.
Image #4: Common Tern on two eggs in scrape nest
Image copyright 2025 Arthur Morris/BIRDS AS ART
Image Question
Click on the composite that opens this post. Why did I move the out of focus piece of wood in the background to the left side of the frame?
For those who did not use my link to purchase their Sony 300mm f/2.8 GM lens, you can order your a copy here for $209.93.
Click on the image to enlarge and to be able to read the fine print.
The BAA Sony 300mm f/2.8 Lens Guide
Impressed by my (or Pat’s) Sony FE 300mm f/2.8 GM OSS Lens (Sony E) images? Use either my Bedfords or B&H affiliate link to purchase your Sony 300mm f/2.8 GM lens and shoot me your receipt via e-mail and request a copy of the first-ever BAA Lens Guide. I thought that it would take only minutes to create this guide, but I was dead wrong. In the process of creating it, I learned a ton about the lens. And even better, I discovered a simple yet potentially fatal flaw that was resulting in sporadically unsharp flight images. The set-up fix is simple. Just be sure to use one of my affiliate links and get the guide for free.
If not, you can purchase a copy here for $209.93. Yes, it never hurts to use my links and it never costs you one penny more. And if you contact me via e-mail before you make a major purchase, I can often save you some money.
The BIRDS AS ART Current Workflow e-Guide (Digital Basics II).
You can order your copy from the BAA Online Store here, by sending a PayPal for $40 here, or by calling Jim or Jennifer weekdays at 863-692-0906 with your credit card in hand. Be sure to specify Digital Basics II.
The BIRDS AS ART Current Workflow e-Guide (Digital Basics II)
The techniques mentioned above and tons more great Photoshop tips and techniques — along with my complete digital workflow, Digital Eye Doctor Techniques, and all my personalized Keyboard Shortcuts — are covered in detail in the BIRDS AS ART Current Workflow e-Guide (Digital Basics II), an instructional PDF that is sent via e-mail. Note: folks working on a PC and/or those who do not want to miss anything Photoshop may wish to purchase the original Digital Basics along with DB II while saving $15 by clicking here to buy the DB Bundle.
Please note: the Divide and Conquer technique was inadvertently omitted from DB II. It is detailed in a free excerpt in the blog post here.
Folks who learn well by following along rather than by reading can check out the complete collection of MP 4 Photoshop Tutorial Videos by clicking here. Note: most of the videos are now priced at an amazingly low $5.00 each.
You can learn how and why I converted all of my Canon digital RAW files in DPP 4 in the DPP 4 RAW Conversion Guide here. More recently, I became proficient at converting my Nikon RAW (NEF) files in Adobe Camera Raw. About three years ago I began converting my Nikon and Sony RAW files in Capture One and did that for two years. You can learn more about Capture One in the Capture One Pro 12 Simplified MP4 Video here. The next step would be to get a copy of Arash Hazeghi’s “The Nikon Photographers’ Guide to Phase One Capture One Pro e-Guide” in the blog post here. Today, I routinely convert my Sony raw files in Photoshop with the latest version of Adobe Camera Raw.
You can learn advanced Quick Masking and advanced Layer Masking techniques in APTATS I & II. You can save $15 by purchasing the pair.
The Digital Basics III Video Series
The Digital Basics III Video Series
I realized well more than a year ago that my digital workflow had changed significantly and was toying with the idea of writing a Digital Basics III. More recently, I learned and begun working with two great new Photoshop Tools, the Remove Tool and the Luminance Targeted Adjustment Tool. The former is like a smarter Spot Healing Brush Tool on steroids and the latter is a step up from the fabulous Color Mixer Tool. During that same time frame, I came up with a new and improved 2-step noise reduction technique. I still use Divide and Conquer, Quick Masks, Layer Masks, an expanded array of personalized keyboard shortcuts, and tons of other stuff from both versions of Digital Basics.
As soon as I realized that I did not want to take on another large writing project, I realized that by creating a series of videos I could much more easily share all the details of my current digital workflow and much more easily incorporate additional new tips, techniques, and tools as I went. And so, The Digital Basics III Video Series was born.
You can purchase the Digital Basics III Video Series by clicking here. The videos will be most valuable for folks using the latest version of Photoshop (2024) or Lightroom along with Topaz DeNoise AI and Topaz Sharpen AI.
Typos
With all blog posts, feel free to e-mail or to leave a comment regarding any typos or errors.
I had a decent morning on Saturday. The stars of the show were a single Black-bellied Whistling Duck and an adult Sandhill Crane south of the pier, both with still blue water backgrounds. I walked the pier with the 400-800 and made a single nice flight image of a backlit young Green Heron backlit, a first for me. If you would like to join me in Jacksonville for part of the Now-Practically-Free Royal Terns and More Extended IPT (arriving in one week on 29 June) please get in touch immediately (for the amazing details) via e-mail or shoot me a text t0 863-221-2372.
Today is Sunday 22 June 2025. I will of course be heading out early to check out the lakefront. Whatever you do, consider choosing to have fun.
If an item — a Delkin flash card, or a Levered-clamp FlexShooter Pro head — for example, that is available from B&H and/or Bedfords, is also available in the BAA Online Store, it would be great, and greatly appreciated, if you would opt to purchase from us. We will match any price. Please remember also to use my B&H affiliate links or to earn 3% cash back at Bedfords by using the BIRDSASART discount code at checkout for your major gear purchases. Doing either often earns you free guides and/or discounts. And always earns my great appreciation.
In the Last Blog Post
In the last blog post here, thanks to Shelley Taylor, J Marr Miller, and Patricia Fishburne, the only three folks who commented on the images. Shelley and J Marr like Image #2 while Pat went for Image #3. I originally like Image #2 best because I did not clip the wings of the interloper bird. But, while optimizing the two images #3 became my top pick because none of three birds was blocked from our view and I like the separation between bill of the attacking and the bill of the defending bird.
Supporting My Efforts Here
If you enjoy and learn from the blog, are all set for gear, or live overseas, consider leaving a BAA Blog Thank You Gift here.
If you enjoy and learn from the blog, please consider using one of my affiliate links when purchasing new gear. It will never cost you a single penny. To support my effort here, please order from B&H by beginning your search here. Or, click here, to order from Bedfords and enter the discount code BIRDSASART at checkout to receive 3% cash back to your credit card and enjoy free Second-Day Air Fed-Ex shipping. It is always best to write for advice via e-mail.
In many cases, I can help you save some serious dollars. And/or prevent you from purchasing the wrong gear from the wrong shop.
If an item — a Delkin flash card, a Levered-clamp FlexShooter Pro, or a Wimberley lens plate — for example, that is available from B&H and/or Bedfords, is also available in the BAA Online Store, it would be great, and greatly appreciated, if you would opt to purchase from us. We will match any price. Please remember also to use my B&H affiliate links or to earn 3% cash back at Bedfords by using the BIRDSASART discount code at checkout for your major gear purchases. Doing either often earns you free guides and/or discounts. And always earns my great appreciation.
Employment Opportunity
Seeking experienced nature photographer for photo editing …
Multiple IPT veteran and friend of 3+ decades Robert (Bear Bob) Sabin is looking to hire someone to download, edit, organize, and optimize thousands of his images. Nassau County, Long Island, NY. Hourly wages — terms negotiable. If you are interested, please contact me via e-mail or via text to 863-221-2372 and I will put you in touch with Bob.
This image was created on 11 June 2025 at Sunken Meadow State Park, New York. Seated on the pebble beach, I used the handheld Sony FE 400-800mm f/6.3-8 G OSS lens (Sony E) (at 594mm) and The Latest Greatest Sony Flagship Body, the a1 II Mirrorless Camera. The exposure was determined by Zebras with ISO on the rear wheel — ISO 1250: 1/4000 second at f/8 (wide open) in Manual mode. RawDigger showed that the exposure was dead-solid perfect. AWB at 5:50:26pm on a sunny afternoon.
Wide/AF-C with Bird-Eye/Face Detection performed perfectly. Click on the image to enjoy the larger, inexplicably sharper high-res version.
Image #1: Least Tern with Sandeel
Image copyright 2025: Arthur Morris/BIRDS AS ART
First Analysis
Thanks again to old friend Tom Pfeiffer for letting us know about the Least Tern colony at Sunken Meadow State Park. The long, rectangular shaped colony runs east west and it was a bright, sunny afternoon with a breeze from the west; we quickly realized that getting on sun angle to photograph birds (and possibly chicks) on the ground in the colony would be impossible. You would need a cloudy day for that. There were groups of terns on the gravel beach so we decided to sit on the beach and see if any birds landed close to us. None did, so still seated, we tried for flight.
This image was also created on 11 June 2025 at Sunken Meadow State Park, New York. Standing at full height, I used the handheld Sony FE 400-800mm f/6.3-8 G OSS lens (Sony E) (at 594mm) and The Latest Greatest Sony Flagship Body, the a1 II Mirrorless Camera. The exposure was determined by Zebras with ISO on the rear wheel — ISO 1600: 1/4000 second at f/8 (wide open) in Manual mode. RawDigger showed that the exposure was dead-solid perfect. AWB at 6:19:28pm on a sunny afternoon.
Wide/AF-C with Bird-Eye/Face Detection performed perfectly. Click on the image to enjoy the larger, inexplicably sharper high-res version.
Image #2: Least Tern flat incoming flight
Image copyright 2025: Arthur Morris/BIRDS AS ART
Sit or Stand?
In a recent blog post I wrote that when photographing terns and gull flying in to land on a beach or sand spit with others, the sitting — even in the water if necessary, was best to move the background farther from the incoming birds. So we sat. But we realized that for fishing terns and fly-bys, we would be better off standing. So we stood and did much better.
This image was created on 11 June 2025 at Sunken Meadow State Park, New York by Anke Frohlich. Standing at full height she used the handheld Sony FE 300mm f/2.8 GM OSS Lens (Sony E) with the Sony FE 2x Teleconverter and The Latest Greatest Sony Flagship Body, the a1 II Mirrorless Camera. ISO 1250. Exposure determined via Zebras with ISO on the Thumb Wheel; 1/5000 sec. at f/5.6 (wide open) in Manual mode. RawDigger showed that the exposure was perfect: AWB at 6:25:28pm on a sunny afternoon.
Tracking Zone/AF-C with Bird Eye/Face Detection enabled performed perfectly.
Image #3: Least Tern with Sandeel
Image courtesy of and copyright 2025 Anke Frohlich
Fishing Terns Flight Tip
Adapted from the soon-to-be published “The Complete and Quintessential Guide to Photographing Birds in Flight by Arash Hazeghi, PH.D, and yours truly, Arthur Morris, BIRDS AS ART:
Photographing terns emerging from the water after a dive is another example of how pre-focusing can help you create some dynamic images. Terns often hover above the water scanning for fish. When they spot a meal, they dive and may submerge almost fully. After the dive, the terns fly out of the water and often shake violently shedding droplets of water from their feathers. It is very difficult to follow the terns by panning vertically down with a large lens as they dive; it is a lot easier to get them coming out of the water than it is to get them diving into it.
To capture images like those here today, follow these steps:
Wait until the dive. Do not aim your long lens at a tern that is hovering far above the water at a steep shooting angle. Rest until the tern dives. As soon it dives, look for the splash to locate the point of impact. Then immediately aim your lens at the splash and focus on it. The tern will first submerge and then emerge from the water in 1-2 seconds or less after the splash and fly out. Pan with the tern as you shoot a burst. Keep shooting until you see the tern roll and shake itself in flight.
This image was also created on 11 June 2025 at Sunken Meadow State Park, New York by Anke Frohlich. Standing at full height she used the handheld Sony FE 300mm f/2.8 GM OSS Lens (Sony E) with the Sony FE 2x Teleconverter and The Latest Greatest Sony Flagship Body, the a1 II Mirrorless Camera. ISO 1250. Exposure determined via Zebras with ISO on the Thumb Wheel; 1/5000 sec. at f/5.6 (wide open) in Manual mode. RawDigger showed that the exposure was perfect: AWB at 6:25:29pm on a sunny afternoon.
Tracking Zone/AF-C with Bird Eye/Face Detection enabled performed perfectly.
Image #4: Least Tern chasing dropped Sandeel
Image courtesy of and copyright 2025 Anke Frohlich
Your Call?
Which of today’s four featured images is the strongest? Why did you make your choice? For me, one of the four is clearly best. I will share my thoughts with you here in the next blog post.
Typos
With all blog posts, feel free to e-mail or to leave a comment regarding any typos or errors.
BILD EXPO SALE: Save $115.00! Expires June 22, 2025
I double back up my images every day using a 4TB SSHD. If you are not backing up your work, it is only a matter of time until you lose all of your images. The Samsung 4TB T7 Shield Portable SSD (Black) is currently the pick of the litter and is on sale only until Sunday close of business. Quit procrastinating and order two right now.
The Samsung 4TB T7 Shield Portable SSD features a rubber protected exterior and an IP65 rating, providing content creators with both performance and durability. The rugged design and advanced outer elastomer protect it from drops while still being lightweight and portable. Moreover, the T7 Shield offers users quick performance and little downtime with read and write speeds of up to 1,050 MB/s and 1,000 MB/s respectively. Its USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-C port provides wide compatibility.
The T7 Shield delivers a max read speed of 1,050 MB/s and a max write speed of 1,000 MB/s through its USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-C port. It is approximately twice as fast as its predecessor, the T5, and up to 9.5 times faster than a traditional external hard disk drive. The T7 Shield supports 256-bit AES hardware encryption to keep the data safe and secure. Do not be tempted by the T9 model as it requires a specialized port that most computers do not have.
What’s Up?
BILD was a blast, a photographic love-fest and a ton of fun. Attendance was huge and the event was a mega-success all around filled energy and learning. Over the course of two intense days I met many wonderful folks — both hobbyists and professionals. Huge thanks to B&H for the invite. I ate much too much on the B&H Circle Line Boat on Tuesday evening.
I got in one last morning photo session at Nickerson on a very foggy Thursday morning. I was in bed by 8:00pm on Thursday night, woke at 1:15am, and read until 2:30 when I got out of bed. My son-in-law Ajiniyaz kindly woke early and drove me to Islip Airport at 3:20am for my 5:05 nonstop flight to Orlando. For the first time in years I fell asleep on a flight and did not wake up till right before we landed. Jim picked me up at MCO and after a stop at Publix we arrived home just after 10:30am.
Today is Friday 20 June 2025. I cannot wait to get back to Nickserson. I will be catching up on e-mail and picking my keepers from several very large day folders. Whatever you do, choose to have fun.
If an item — a Delkin flash card, or a Levered-clamp FlexShooter Pro head — for example, that is available from B&H and/or Bedfords, is also available in the BAA Online Store, it would be great, and greatly appreciated, if you would opt to purchase from us. We will match any price. Please remember also to use my B&H affiliate links or to earn 3% cash back at Bedfords by using the BIRDSASART discount code at checkout for your major gear purchases. Doing either often earns you free guides and/or discounts. And always earns my great appreciation.
Supporting My Efforts Here
If you enjoy and learn from the blog, are all set for gear, or live overseas, consider leaving a BAA Blog Thank You Gift here.
If you enjoy and learn from the blog, please consider using one of my affiliate links when purchasing new gear. It will never cost you a single penny. To support my effort here, please order from B&H by beginning your search here. Or, click here, to order from Bedfords and enter the discount code BIRDSASART at checkout to receive 3% cash back to your credit card and enjoy free Second-Day Air Fed-Ex shipping. It is always best to write for advice via e-mail.
In many cases, I can help you save some serious dollars. And/or prevent you from purchasing the wrong gear from the wrong shop.
If an item — a Delkin flash card, a Levered-clamp FlexShooter Pro, or a Wimberley lens plate — for example, that is available from B&H and/or Bedfords, is also available in the BAA Online Store, it would be great, and greatly appreciated, if you would opt to purchase from us. We will match any price. Please remember also to use my B&H affiliate links or to earn 3% cash back at Bedfords by using the BIRDSASART discount code at checkout for your major gear purchases. Doing either often earns you free guides and/or discounts. And always earns my great appreciation.
This image was created on 16 June 2025 at Nickerson Beach Park, Lido Beach, Long Island, NY. Sitting behind my flattened tripod, I used the Robus RC-5570 Vantage Series 3 Carbon Fiber Tripod/Levered-Clamp FlexShooter Pro-mounted Sony FE 600mm f/4 GM OSS lens and The Latest Greatest Sony Flagship Body, the a1 II Mirrorless Camera. The exposure was determined via Zebras with ISO on the thumb dial. ISO 2500: 1/1000 sec. at f/4 (wide open) in Manual mode. RawDigger showed that the raw file brightness was fractionally short of perfect. AWB at 7:40:14am on a cloudy morning.
Wide/AF-C with Bird Eye/Face Detection enabled performed adequately. Click on the image to see a larger, sharper high resolution version
Image #1: Common Terns courting
Image copyright 2025 Arthur Morris/BIRDS AS ART
Flattening Your Tripod
Flattening your tripod completely and working off the tilted rear monitor is a great way to get low without having to lie flat on your belly. To get super-low at Nickerson, I pushed and wiggled my Robus RC-5570 tripod into the sand so that most of the legs were buried. Worried about sand screwing up your tripod? With Robus, a quick spray under a hose and you are as good as new. Which Robus tripod is best for you? Check out the blog post here.
When I noticed this pair courting, I removed my 1.4X TC and went to a faster shutter speed than I had been using. With this image, it helps that the two birds are almost on the same plane.
This image was created on 16 June 2025 at Nickerson Beach Park, Lido Beach, Long Island, NY. Sitting behind my flattened tripod, I used the Robus RC-5570 Vantage Series 3 Carbon Fiber Tripod/Levered-Clamp FlexShooter Pro-mounted Sony FE 600mm f/4 GM OSS lens and The Latest Greatest Sony Flagship Body, the a1 II Mirrorless Camera. The exposure was determined via Zebras with ISO on the thumb dial. ISO 2500: 1/1000 sec. at f/4 (wide open) in Manual mode. RawDigger showed that the raw file brightness was fractionally shot of perfect. AWB at 7:40:14am on a cloudy morning.
Wide/AF-C with Bird Eye/Face Detection enabled performed adequately. Click on the image to see a larger, sharper high resolution version
Image #2: Common Tern squabble
Image copyright 2025 Arthur Morris/BIRDS AS ART
I Listened to My Own, Oft-given Advice
It is not easy shooting action when working on a flattened tripod. As noted above, I had just doubled my shutter speed to 1/1000 second to photograph the courting terns. When an interloper flew in to interfere, I pushed the shutter button and held it down. I created perhaps 25 or so images in about a second and kept six pretty decent ones. Images #2 and #3 are my favorites.
The tern on the bottom is thinking, “You are not gonna steal my honey.”
When unexpected action occurs, push the shutter button. If you try to change anything, you will almost always wind up with nothing.
I did get a bit lucky with the shutter speed, a relatively low 1/1000 sec. Trying to increase that when the third bird flew in would have been fatal.
This image was created on 16 June 2025 at Nickerson Beach Park, Lido Beach, Long Island, NY. Sitting behind my flattened tripod, I used the Robus RC-5570 Vantage Series 3 Carbon Fiber Tripod/Levered-Clamp FlexShooter Pro-mounted Sony FE 600mm f/4 GM OSS lens and The Latest Greatest Sony Flagship Body, the a1 II Mirrorless Camera. The exposure was determined via Zebras with ISO on the thumb dial. ISO 2500: 1/1000 sec. at f/4 (wide open) in Manual mode. RawDigger showed that the raw file brightness was fractionally shot of perfect. AWB at 7:40:14am on a cloudy morning.
Wide/AF-C with Bird Eye/Face Detection enabled performed adequately. Click on the image to see a larger, sharper high resolution version
Image #3: Common Tern squabble
Image copyright 2025 Arthur Morris/BIRDS AS ART
Which is the Best Image?
After clicking on each of the two squabbling tern photos, #2 & #3, to enlarge it, please leave a comment letting us know which of the two you prefer and why you made your choice. Each has its plusses and minuses.
I will share my thoughts on the two images in the next blog post.
Typos
With all blog posts, feel free to e-mail or to leave a comment regarding any typos or errors.
After getting drenched on my birthday, we headed back to Nickerson on Sunday morning. It was cold and a little bit wet with a brisk northeast wind. At times, I had the chills. But the photography was fantastic and the tern chicks got fed many times; there was lots of action. Note: photographing tern feedings is a huge challenge as 99% of the time either the chick or the adult is facing away and/or there is blocking vegetation and/or there are extraneous subjects in the frame. I started with the 600 and the 1.4X TC on my flattened tripod and switched to the 2X TC once it brightened up a bit. When the dust cleared, I had created 5,476 as yet un-edited images. I cherry-picked one as a teaser for a future post that will feature my best images from what was a most wonderful morning. We returned to the same spot on Sunday afternoon in similar and seemingly perfect conditions — very cloudy with a dead east wind, and pretty much came up empty.
Today is Monday 16 June 2025. We drive into the city to attend a pre-BILD gathering at B&H at 4:00pm so I am fervently hoping for early check-in at my midtown hotel. Whatever you opt to do, I hope that you too choose to have a wonderful and productive day and that you have fun too. Do remember that happiness is a choice — Byron Katie, The Work.Com.
If an item — a Delkin flash card or a Levered-clamp FlexShooter Pro — for example, that is available from B&H and/or Bedfords, is also available in the BAA Online Store, it would be great, and greatly appreciated, if you would opt to purchase from us. We will match any price. Please remember also to use my B&H affiliate links or to earn 3% cash back at Bedfords by using the BIRDSASART discount code at checkout for your major gear purchases. Doing either often earns you free guides and/or discounts. And always earns my great appreciation.
Gear Questions and Advice
Too many folks attending BAA IPTs and dozens of photographers whom I see in the field and on BPN, are — out of ignorance — using the wrong gear, especially when it comes to tripods and more especially, tripod heads. And the same is true in spades when ordering new camera bodies or lenses. My advice will often save you some serious money and may help you avoid making a seriously bad choice. Please know that I am always glad to answer your gear questions via e-mail. If you are desperate, you can try me on my cell at 863-221-2372. Please leave a message and shoot me a text if I do not pick up.
Don’t Just Shoot: Learn
To learn of the late-registration discounts and AirBnB availability for the Jacksonville Royal Terns with chicks and more extended IPT late June/early July, or if you are interested in changing your life and becoming a better photographer by joining me on an Extended IPT at Sebastian Inlet for Ospreys and more (SEPT 25 to NOV 24, 2025) or in San Diego for Pacific-race Brown Pelicans and more (JAN 6 to FEB 2, 2026), please e-mail for dates, rates, terms, and additional information. Or shoot me a text to 863-221-2372. Both offerings include options for shared AirBnB lodging and ground transportation during your stay.
Amazing BILD Discovery: BILD EXPO Presented by B&H
I learned recently that all BILD programs are 100% free. All you need to do is register and show up. See you there!
Why Attend? BIRDS AS ART Appearances, Speakers, Gear, Deals, and more
I am pleased to announce that I will be doing four round table sessions at BILD this June. Here are the round table topics:
1- Systems, Lenses, and Camera Bodies for Bird Photography
2- Creating Sharp Bird Photographs
3- Bird Photography Hotspots
4- Creating Bird Photographs that depict Flight, Action, and Behavior
Bild Expo is back! Join B&H at The Javits Center in New York City for an unforgettable event featuring 100+ expert speakers, 250+ exhibitors, hands-on experiences, and the world’s greatest creative community. B&H’s incredible show specials will be the icing on the cake! Whether you’re a seasoned pro, an enthusiast, or a beginner, at Bild you will get inspired, learn, meet like-minded people, and celebrate being part of this amazing world of creativity.
Click here or on the logo link above for more information.
iPhone 15 Pro Max back triple camera 2.22mm f/2.2: ISO 1250: 1/30 sec at f/2.2.
Birthday cake, no candles
Birthday Cake!
On Friday evening, we celebrated my 79th birthday at the fabulous Wild Ginger in Rockville Center. For dessert, I enjoyed a chocolate Sunday with whipped cream and vanilla ice cream atop a scrumptious hot brownie.
Your Call?
Which two of today’s featured images are your favorites? Why did you make your choices?
In the Last Blog Post
In the last blog post, thanks to Pat Fishburne and Cliff Beittel, the two folks who commented. My favorite was the Boat-tailed Grackle followed closely by the Green Heron followed closely by the crane colt.
Amazing BILD Discovery: BILD EXPO Presented by B&H
I just learned yesterday that all BILD programs are 100% free. All you need to do is register and show up. See you there!
Why Attend? BIRDS AS ART Appearances, Speakers, Gear, Deals, and more
I am pleased to announce that I will be doing four round table sessions at BILD this June. Here are the round table topics:
1- Systems, Lenses, and Camera Bodies for Bird Photography
2- Creating Sharp Bird Photographs
3- Bird Photography Hotspots
4- Creating Bird Photographs that depict Flight, Action, and Behavior
Bild Expo is back! Join B&H at The Javits Center in New York City for an unforgettable event featuring 100+ expert speakers, 250+ exhibitors, hands-on experiences, and the world’s greatest creative community. B&H’s incredible show specials will be the icing on the cake! Whether you’re a seasoned pro, an enthusiast, or a beginner, at Bild you will get inspired, learn, meet like-minded people, and celebrate being part of this amazing world of creativity.
Click here or on the logo link above for more information.
As expected, bird photography at Nickerson Beach in mid-June has not been as exciting as it is in August. As noted previously, there are lots of oystercatcher families on the beaches, nesting Common Terns (some with chicks), and many hundreds (if not a thousand or two) Black Skimmers scooping out territories and creating nest scrapes. That said, we have had some excellent opportunities. Scroll down to see nine of my favorites from this short trip.
Today is Saturday 14 June, 2025, AKA, artie’s birthday. I am not 79 years old and still at it and loving life and bird photography. This morning, we headed to Nickerson at 5:45am. The weather mentioned drizzle at 8:00am and rain by 9:00am. Anyhoo, by 6:45am it was pouring cats and dogs. Soaking wet and sandy, we headed back to our AirBnB a few minutes after seven. Whatever you opt to do, I hope that you too choose to have a wonderful and productive day and that you stay dry. Do remember that happiness is a choice — Byron Katie, The Work.Com.
I head into the city after a Monday morning session to check into my Manhattan hotel for three nights and the two days at BILD. I fly home at oh dark hundred on Friday.
If an item — a Delkin flash card or a Levered-clamp FlexShooter Pro — for example, that is available from B&H and/or Bedfords, is also available in the BAA Online Store, it would be great, and greatly appreciated, if you would opt to purchase from us. We will match any price. Please remember also to use my B&H affiliate links or to earn 3% cash back at Bedfords by using the BIRDSASART discount code at checkout for your major gear purchases. Doing either often earns you free guides and/or discounts. And always earns my great appreciation.
Gear Questions and Advice
Too many folks attending BAA IPTs and dozens of photographers whom I see in the field and on BPN, are — out of ignorance — using the wrong gear, especially when it comes to tripods and more especially, tripod heads. And the same is true in spades when ordering new camera bodies or lenses. My advice will often save you some serious money and may help you avoid making a seriously bad choice. Please know that I am always glad to answer your gear questions via e-mail. If you are desperate, you can try me on my cell at 863-221-2372. Please leave a message and shoot me a text if I do not pick up.
Don’t Just Shoot: Learn
To learn of the late-registration discounts and AirBnB availability for the Jacksonville Royal Terns with chicks and more extended IPT late June/early July, or if you are interested in changing your life and becoming a better photographer by joining me on an Extended IPT at Sebastian Inlet for Ospreys and more (SEPT 25 to NOV 24, 2025) or in San Diego for Pacific-race Brown Pelicans and more (JAN 6 to FEB 2, 2026), please e-mail for dates, rates, terms, and additional information. Or shoot me a text to 863-221-2372. Both offerings include options for shared AirBnB lodging and ground transportation during your stay.
Peter Kes is job hunting
Peter Kes
Peter Kes, friend of 3 decades and longtime BAA blog webmaster, is a brilliant IT (information technology) and computer expert. He is currently living on and running a Bushveld Farm in Dinokeng Game Reserve, Pretoria, Gauteng, RSA (Republic of South Africa) and is looking to re-locate. You can learn more about Peter and check out his impressive resume at his LinkedIn profile page here. You can contact Peter via e-mail.
This image was created on 10 June 2025 at Nickerson Beach Park, Lido Beach, Long Island, New York. Seated on dry sand I used the instep-pod technique with the handheld Sony FE 400-800mm f/6.3-8 G OSS lens (Sony E) (at 715mm) and The Latest Greatest Sony Flagship Body, the a1 II Mirrorless Camera. The exposure was determined by Zebras with ISO on the rear wheel — ISO 1600: 1/1250 second at f/8 (wide open) in Manual mode. RawDigger showed that the exposure was dead-solid perfect. AWB at 6:39:02pm on a then sunny afternoon.
Wide/AF-C with Bird-Eye/Face Detection performed perfectly. Click on the image to enjoy the larger, inexplicably sharper high-res version.
Image #1: Common Tern on nest with eggs
Image copyright 2025: Arthur Morris/BIRDS AS ART
Getting Low
All nine of today’s featured images below were created while I was sitting. When photographing birds at the beach, getting low is often the first and most important key to success. I will be sharing a short YouTube video here soon detailing the various ways that I use to get low.
This image was also created on 10 June 2025 at Nickerson Beach Park, Lido Beach, Long Island, New York. Seated on dry sand I used the toe-pod technique with the handheld Sony FE 400-800mm f/6.3-8 G OSS lens (Sony E) (at 780mm) and The Latest Greatest Sony Flagship Body, the a1 II Mirrorless Camera. The exposure was determined by Zebras with ISO on the rear wheel — ISO 4000: 1/800 second at f/8 (wide open) in Manual mode. RawDigger showed that the exposure was perfect. AWB at 7:37:51pm on a then cloudy afternoon.
Wide/AF-C with Bird-Eye/Face Detection performed perfectly. Click on the image to enjoy the larger, inexplicably sharper high-res version.
Image #2: American Oystercatcher with one of its two small chicks
Image copyright 2025: Arthur Morris/BIRDS AS ART
No Tripod with the 400-800 Equals Higher ISOs
The tradeoff in low light situations when opting to grab the 400-800 and leave the 600mm f/4 and the tripod in my vehicle is that you will need higher ISOs in order to attain useable shutter speeds. That said, I like this image and I like leaving my fanny pack and TC in the car and heading into the filed with a Delkin Devices 960GB BLACK CFexpress Type A 4.0 Memory Card in my camera and one extra battery in my pant pocket. I have never, ever come anywhere near filling a 960 card.
Wide/AF-C with Bird-Eye/Face Detection performed perfectly. Click on the image to enjoy the larger, inexplicably sharper high-res version.
Image #3: American Oystercatcher small chick in heaven
Image copyright 2025: Arthur Morris/BIRDS AS ART
Foggy Morning Choice
On an obviously foggy morning, I did go with the 600 and the tripod and added the 1.4X TC to get more pixels on the subject. I was glad that I did as I was able to make sharp images at “only” ISO 2500. Much better than ISO 5000.
Wide/AF-C with Bird-Eye/Face Detection performed perfectly. Click on the image to enjoy the larger, inexplicably sharper high-res version.
Image #4: American Oystercatcher large chick with opened mussel
Image copyright 2025: Arthur Morris/BIRDS AS ART
Once the Sun Came Out
Once the sun came out, I was able to add the 2X TC and make sharp, perfectly exposed images.
This image was created on 12 June 2025 at Nickerson Beach Park, Lido Beach, Long Island, New York. Seated on dry sand I used I used the hand held Sony FE 300mm f/2.8 GM OSS Lens (Sony E) with the Sony FE 1.4x Teleconverter and the Latest Greatest Sony Flagship Body, the a1 II Mirrorless Camera. Exposure determined via Zebras with ISO on the Thumb Wheel. ISO 2500: 1/4000 sec. at f/4 (wide open) in Manual mode. RawDigger showed that the exposure was perfect: AWB at 6:51:27pm on a variably hazy/variably sunny, variably cloudy afternoon.
Tracking: Zone/AF-C with Bird Eye/Face Detection enabled performed perfectly.
Image #5: Common Tern in flight/dorsal view
Image copyright 2025 Arthur Morris/BIRDS AS ART
With Clouds and Haze and Sun
With some clouds, some haze, and some sun, I grabbed the 300mm f2.8 lens and both teleconverters. There is a walkway very near to a small roped off tern colony away from the main East Colony. There are about eight terns on eggs. Though I sit back from the colony ropes, the terns will fly up to attack the folks on the walkway and then visit me on the way back to their eggs. That situation provides lots of chances for flight photography. The 300 with the 1.4X TC was perfect for most of the flight photography.
This image was also created on 12 June 2025 at Nickerson Beach Park, Lido Beach, Long Island, New York. Seated on dry sand I used I used the hand held Sony FE 300mm f/2.8 GM OSS Lens (Sony E) and the Latest Greatest Sony Flagship Body, the a1 II Mirrorless Camera. Exposure determined via Zebras with ISO on the Thumb Wheel. ISO 2000. 1/4000 sec. at f/2.8 (wide open) in Manual mode. RawDigger showed that the exposure was dead-solid perfect: AWB at 6:55:06pm on a variably hazy/variably sunny, variably cloudy afternoon.
Tracking: Zone/AF-C with Bird Eye/Face Detection enabled performed perfectly.
Image #6: Common Tern in charging flight
Image copyright 2025 Arthur Morris/BIRDS AS ART
Charger
For whatever reason, there was one bird that would charge right at my head me whenever somebody walked by on the opposite side of the small colony. To improve AF performance in this extremely challenging situation, I removed the teleconverter and worked at 300m at f/2.8. Bingo!
This image was also created on 12 June 2025 at Nickerson Beach Park, Lido Beach, Long Island, New York. Seated on dry sand I used I used the hand held Sony FE 300mm f/2.8 GM OSS Lens (Sony E) with the Sony FE 1.4x Teleconverter and the Latest Greatest Sony Flagship Body, the a1 II Mirrorless Camera. Exposure determined via Zebras with ISO on the Thumb Wheel. ISO 3200: 1/4000 sec. at f/4 (wide open) in Manual mode. RawDigger showed that the exposure was perfect: AWB at 7:06:07pm on a variably hazy/variably sunny, variably cloudy afternoon.
Tracking: Zone/AF-C with Bird Eye/Face Detection enabled performed perfectly.
Image #7: Common Tern kiting above nest
Image copyright 2025 Arthur Morris/BIRDS AS ART
100% Full Frame
It is very rare to present any image with the framing identical to that of the raw file. I will almost always need to crop a bit or move the bird around in the frame to some degree. This is one of those rare occasions. In fact, I cannot remember the last time I optimized a flight image and went with the exact original capture.
This image was also created on 12 June 2025 at Nickerson Beach Park, Lido Beach, Long Island, New York. Seated on dry sand I used I used the hand held Sony FE 300mm f/2.8 GM OSS Lens (Sony E) with the Sony FE 1.4x Teleconverter and the Latest Greatest Sony Flagship Body, the a1 II Mirrorless Camera. Exposure determined via Zebras with ISO on the Thumb Wheel. ISO 3200: 1/2500 sec. at f/4 (wide open) in Manual mode. RawDigger showed that the exposure was perfect: AWB at 7:25:18pm on a variably hazy/variably sunny afternoon.
Tracking: Zone/AF-C with Bird Eye/Face Detection enabled performed perfectly.
Image #8: Black Skimmer in tight flight
Image copyright 2025 Arthur Morris/BIRDS AS ART
More Creative Cropping
We’ve seen more and more examples recently of needing to execute tight and creative crops of flight images in which it was impossible to fit the whole bird in the fame. Why? AF performance with all high-end mirrorless camera bodies is so superior to dSLR AF that we are winding up with more and more sharp images when the birds fly by at close range.
This image was created on 14 June 2025 at Nickerson Beach Park, Lido Beach, Long Island, New York. Seated on wet sand behind my flattened tripod, I used the Robus RC-5570 Vantage Series 3 Carbon Fiber Tripod/Levered-Clamp FlexShooter Pro-mounted Sony FE 600mm f/4 GM OSS lens and The Latest Greatest Sony Flagship Body, the a1 II Mirrorless Camera. The exposure was determined by Zebras with ISO on the rear wheel — ISO 1600: 1/250 second at f/4 (wide open) in Manual mode. RawDigger showed that the exposure was perfect. AWB at 6:17:00am on a then foggy morning.
Wide/AF-C with Bird-Eye/Face Detection performed perfectly. Click on the image to enjoy the larger, inexplicably sharper high-res version.
Image #9: Common Tern on nest on rainy morning
Image copyright 2025: Arthur Morris/BIRDS AS ART
Amazing BILD Discovery: BILD EXPO Presented by B&H
I just learned yesterday that all BILD programs are 100% free. All you need to do is register and show up. See you there!
Why Attend? BIRDS AS ART Appearances, Speakers, Gear, Deals, and more
I am pleased to announce that I will be doing four round table sessions at BILD this June. Here are the round table topics:
1- Systems, Lenses, and Camera Bodies for Bird Photography
2- Creating Sharp Bird Photographs
3- Bird Photography Hotspots
4- Creating Bird Photographs that depict Flight, Action, and Behavior
Bild Expo is back! Join B&H at The Javits Center in New York City for an unforgettable event featuring 100+ expert speakers, 250+ exhibitors, hands-on experiences, and the world’s greatest creative community. B&H’s incredible show specials will be the icing on the cake! Whether you’re a seasoned pro, an enthusiast, or a beginner, at Bild you will get inspired, learn, meet like-minded people, and celebrate being part of this amazing world of creativity.
Click here or on the logo link above for more information.
The BIRDS AS ART SONY 400-800mm f/6.3-9 G Super-telephoto Zoom Lens Guide
When I borrowed this lens from Sony, I assumed that at 5.45 pounds it was too heavy to handhold for long and that at f/8 at the long end (800mm,) it was too slow for most bird photography applications. In short, I did not want to like the lens. After a month of using it, I cannot live without it. After returning the loaner, I was miraculously able to get my own from Bedfords on 16 April 2025. In this guide I share everything that I have learned about using the 400-800. For best results, you need to know exactly what you are doing to get the most out of this zoom lens. It would be best, therefore, to consider and study the material in the guide so that you can begin making great images with your new lens.
You will learn how to deal with the relatively show apertures: f/6.3, f/7.1, and f/8 when working in Manual mode.
You will learn how to ensure that you are working at the widest aperture by working in Shutter Priority mode with AUTO ISO.
If you are able to hand hold the lens, you will learn proper hand holding techniques.
If you can’t, you will learn when, why, and how to employ other options. Those include:
1- The knee-pod, heel-pod, and toe-pod techniques
2- Using the lens on a monopod.
3- The best lens plate and low foot for your 4-8.
4- The best tripod and head for the 4-8 and how best to utilize them.
5- How to use the lens from your vehicle while supporting it on a BLUBB (or not and why not).
6- Detailed instructions on how to set and use the lens controls and buttons:
a- AF/MF
b- DMF Switch
c- Limit Range Switch
d- OSS (Optical Steady Shot) Switch
e- OSS Mode Switch
f- Focus Hold Buttons
The guide also includes a Hand Holding Shutter Speed Primer and an illustrative, educational, and inspiring 67-image gallery.
Free to folks who use one of my two affiliate links to purchase their Sony 400-800 G lens. Otherwise, please send a PayPal for $115.43 to birdsasart@verizon.net and include the words “400-800 Lens Guide” in your e-mail.
Sony Alpha 1 (a-1) Mirrorless Camera Body
Multiple IPT veteran and dear friend William (Bill) Schneider is offering a rarely if ever used used Sony a-1 (ILCE-1) mirrorless camera body in like-new condition for a very low $3,398.00. The sale includes the original product box, and everything that came in it including one battery, the charger, the camera strap, and insured ground shipping via major courier to lower-48 US addresses only. Your item will not ship until your check clears unless other arrangements are made.
Please contact Bill via e-mail or by phone at 262-269-8628.
I used Sony a-1 bodies as my workhorse cameras for more than three years. They produce stunning 51MP files with vivid natural colors. The AF system is superb. They are rugged and dependable and 30 frames per second is nothing to sneeze at. With a brand new a-1 ii going for $6498.00, you can save an even $3200.00 by grabbing Pat’s nearly as good as new a- copy ASAP. Right now, B&H is offering a used Sony a-1 in the same condition, 9+, for $4,674.95 here. Don’t believe me? Click the link.
What’s Up?
Tuesday afternoon at Nickerson Beach was fairly good. There are many oystercatcher chicks of varying ages and many, many hundreds of skimmers and Common Terns setting up to nest this summer. We even spotted a few tiny Common Tern chicks. As it was sunny at first, I took only the 400-800 — no tripod, no teleconverter, no worries, all pleasure.
The forecast for Wednesday morning was terrible — clear with a southwest wind. The reality was much better: 5:00am drizzle followed by mostly cloudy till about 7:30am followed by some sun. Early on there was very little breeze. That was followed by a gentle wind from the north sometimes northeast. With the early clouds I went with the 600mm f/4 GM lens with both TCs in my beloved fanny pack and the tripod topped by a Levered-clamp FlexShooter Pro. I got some decent stuff on small oystercatcher chicks at 840mm. Then, thanks to friend Steffen Foerster, we went looking for some Piping Plover chicks. We found two families with five tiny chicks total. But no images to speak of. All in all, I walked about 2 miles.
On Wednesday afternoon, we tried the Least Tern colony at Sunken Meadow Park. Good friend Tom Pfeiffer photographed some chicks there in the morning in the fog, but with full sun in the afternoon the only photography was flight over the Long Island Sound. We had very good few chances. Anke Frohlich got a great series with the 300mm f/2.8 and the 2X TC on a Least Tern coming out of the water with a sandeel, dropping it in midair, and trying to catch it a second time. Standing right next to her I completely fanned on the opportunity :-(.
Today is Thursday 11 June 2025. We will likely be heading back to Nickerson to try for the Piping Plover chicks in the morning. Whatever you opt to do, I hope that you too choose to have a wonderful and productive day. Do remember that happiness is a choice — Byron Katie, The Work.Com.
If an item — a Delkin flash card or a Levered-clamp FlexShooter Pro — for example, that is available from B&H and/or Bedfords, is also available in the BAA Online Store, it would be great, and greatly appreciated, if you would opt to purchase from us. We will match any price. Please remember also to use my B&H affiliate links or to earn 3% cash back at Bedfords by using the BIRDSASART discount code at checkout for your major gear purchases. Doing either often earns you free guides and/or discounts. And always earns my great appreciation.
Don’t Just Shoot: Learn
To learn of the late-registration discounts and AirBnB availability for the Jacksonville Royal Terns with chicks and more extended IPT late June/early July, or if you are interested in changing your life and becoming a better photographer by joining me on an Extended IPT at Sebastian Inlet for Ospreys and more (SEPT 25 to NOV 24, 2025) or in San Diego for Pacific-race Brown Pelicans and more (JAN 6 to FEB 2, 2026), please e-mail for dates, rates, terms, and additional information. Or shoot me a text to 863-221-2372. Both offerings include options for shared AirBnB lodging and ground transportation during your stay.
This image was created on 27 May 2025 at Indian Lake Estates, FL. Standing on a slope that leads down to a canal to get on the bird’s level, I used the hand held Sony FE 400-800mm f/6.3-8 G OSS lens (Sony E) (at 800mm) and The Latest Greatest Sony Flagship Body, the a1 II Mirrorless Camera. The exposure was determined by Zebras with ISO on the rear wheel — ISO 1250: 1/2000 second at f/8 (wide open) in Manual mode. RawDigger showed that the exposure was perfect. AWB at 8:01:50am on a partly sunny morning.
Wide/AF-C with Bird-Eye/Face Detection performed perfectly. Click on the image to enjoy the larger, inexplicably sharper high-res version.
Image #1: Sandhill Crane colt stretching one wing
Image copyright 2025: Arthur Morris/BIRDS AS ART
Sometimes the Plan Works
When I see an isolated crane colt on the South Peninsula, I will usually grab the 400-800 and head down the slope to the South Canal to get pretty much level with the bird and enjoy sky or lake/marsh backgrounds. Once I am in position and have zoomed to a good focal length, I hope for the bird to do something interesting. This one cooperated nicely.
This image was created on 3 June 2025 at Indian Lake Estates, FL. Standing on the pier, I used the hand held Sony FE 400-800mm f/6.3-8 G OSS lens (Sony E) (at 800mm) and The Latest Greatest Sony Flagship Body, the a1 II Mirrorless Camera. Multi-metering +2.0 stops in Shutter Priority mode with Exposure Compensation (EC) on the Thumb Dial. AUTO ISO set ISO 6400: 1/3200 sec. at f/8 (wide open). AWB at 8:17:41am on a partly sunny morning.
Wide/AF-C with Bird-Eye/Face Detection performed perfectly. Click on the image to enjoy the larger, inexplicably sharper high-res version.
Image #2: Green Heron adult flying away
Image copyright 2025: Arthur Morris/BIRDS AS ART
Why Shutter Priority and AUTO ISO?
When you are walking along on a cloudy day and are not sure what to expect, Shutter Priority with AUTO ISO is often a good way to go. When this bird flew off from unexpectedly from below the pier, I raised the lens and fired, thinking that if it flew against the green marsh that the bird might be over-exposed at +2 stops. But with the water background everything was perfect. Here is a caption from the The Complete and Quintessential Guide to Photographing Bird in Flight by Arash Hazeghi and yours truly, Arthur Morris/BIRDS AS ART:
Green Heron, ILE, FL. With the hand held Sony 400-800 GM lens (at 800mm) & the a-1 ii: ISO 6400: 1/3200 sec. at f/8. Birds in flight angling away may provide spectacular views of the dorsal wing surfaces.
This image was also created on 3 June 2025 at Indian Lake Estates, FL. Standing on the pier, I used the hand held Sony FE 400-800mm f/6.3-8 G OSS lens (Sony E) (at 400mm) and The Latest Greatest Sony Flagship Body, the a1 II Mirrorless Camera. Multi-metering +2.3 stops (!) in Shutter Priority mode with Exposure Compensation (EC) on the Thumb Dial. AUTO ISO set ISO 6400: 1/4000 sec. at f/6.3 (!) (wide open). AWB at 8:26:34am on a partly sunny morning.
Wide/AF-C with Bird-Eye/Face Detection performed perfectly. Click on the image to enjoy the larger, inexplicably sharper high-res version.
Image #3: Boat-tailed Grackle male in flight
Image copyright 2025: Arthur Morris/BIRDS AS ART
Close to Perfect
Despite being created at +2.3 stops, RawDigger showed that the raw file brightness for Image #3 was about 1/6-stop too dark. All in all, not bad.
Sharpness, the flight pose, the incredible dorsal (top side) view, and the head angle however, are all dead-solid perfect.
This image was created on 6 June 2025 at Indian Lake Estates, FL. Sitting on the pier, I used the knee-pod technique with the hand held Sony FE 400-800mm f/6.3-8 G OSS lens (Sony E) (at 584mm) and The Latest Greatest Sony Flagship Body, the a1 II Mirrorless Camera. The exposure was determined by Zebras with ISO on the rear wheel — ISO 3200: 1/2000 second at f/7.1 (wide open at that focal length) in Manual mode. RawDigger showed that the exposure was perfect. AWB at 7:51:30am on a partly sunny morning.
Wide/AF-C with Bird-Eye/Face Detection performed perfectly. Click on the image to enjoy the larger, inexplicably sharper high-res version.
Image #4: Green Heron juvenile
Image copyright 2025: Arthur Morris/BIRDS AS ART
Surprise
I was walking slowly out towards the end of the pier checking out the juvenile Osprey sitting on railing and dreaming when I glanced down and to my left and spotted a juvenile Green Heron siting on the edge of the pier deck. Surprise. Since it was a juvie, I figured that it would be tame so after making a few frames standing I sat down slowly. The whole bird was included in the original frame but I did not like the wooden planks as much as I had in the previous image. That necessitated a somewhat clever square crop to eliminate all the wood with a relatively pleasing result. I could have done something similar in the field simply by zooming in a lot more.
This image was created on 8 June 2025 at Indian Lake Estates, FL. Standing on the beach to the left of the pier, I used the hand held Sony FE 400-800mm f/6.3-8 G OSS lens (Sony E) (at 795mm) and The Latest Greatest Sony Flagship Body, the a1 II Mirrorless Camera. The exposure was determined by Zebras with ISO on the rear wheel — ISO 2500: 1/4000 second at f/8 (wide open) in Manual mode. RawDigger showed that the exposure was dead solid perfect. AWB at 7:55:07m on a mostly sunny morning.
Wide/AF-C with Bird-Eye/Face Detection performed perfectly. Click on the image to enjoy the larger, inexplicably sharper high-res version.
Image #5: Osprey — adult with fish
Image copyright 2025: Arthur Morris/BIRDS AS ART
Almost Missed This!
After photographing a Green Heron on the beach, I was getting into the car when I saw this bird flying at me with a still-unidentified fish, possibly a Tilapia. I turned around, raised the lens, raised the shutter speed, adjusted the exposure with my eye to the viewfinder, and fired off a long sequence.
Typos
With all blog posts, feel free to e-mail or to leave a comment regarding any typos or errors.
Which of today’s three featured images is the strongest? Why did you make your choice?
In the Last Blog Post
Thanks for all the comments at the last offering. I loved all three of the photos equally for the reasons noted in the post. And all three were mentioned by at least one person. If you forced me to pick just one, I would go with the Green Heron that looked as much like a painting as it did a photograph. It was the consensus choice.
What’s Up?
I woke at 4am on Monday morning. We left at 5:10am and Jim kindly drove me to the airport for my 8:55am flight to Islip. After yet another blessedly uneventful (though quite bumpy at times) flight, we landed just a few minutes late. I visited my younger daughter Alissa for lunch, picked up a friend in the city, and then headed for dinner and the AirBnB in Seaford, Long Island. It was a long and very exhausting day.
While on the plane, after many months of work by both authors, I added three final images to The Complete and Quintessential Guide to Photographing Bird in Flight by Arash Hazeghi and yours truly, Arthur Morris/BIRDS AS ART. The title says it all. The work consists of 20,605 words in 523 paragraphs. There are 183 quite excellent images each with an informative educational caption. Though most of the photos were made with Sony mirrorless gear, there are representative examples of image created with both Canon and Nikon dSLR equipment. I am sending the MS Word file to BAA-friend David Pugsley who kindly agreed to review and proofread the final manuscript. More here when he is done.
Today is Tuesday 10 June 2025. It is dreary here on Long Island so I am taking a rare morning off to unpack, organize and do some shopping. The weather — sunny with a SW breeze, is looking decent for an afternoon visit to Nickerson Beach. I hope that you too choose to have a wonderful and productive day. Do remember that happiness is a choice — Byron Katie, The Work.Com.
If you are interested in a fun morning, afternoon, or day (or two) of In-the-Field Instruction at Nickerson between now and the morning of 16 June, please get in touch via e-mail or try me on my cell at 863-221-2372. Please leave a message and shoot me a text if I do not pick up. Weatherwise, Friday morning is looking best, Saturday is supposed to be a washout, and all the other afternoons are looking pretty good.
If an item — a Delkin flash card or a Levered-clamp FlexShooter Pro — for example, that is available from B&H and/or Bedfords, is also available in the BAA Online Store, it would be great, and greatly appreciated, if you would opt to purchase from us. We will match any price. Please remember also to use my B&H affiliate links or to earn 3% cash back at Bedfords by using the BIRDSASART discount code at checkout for your major gear purchases. Doing either often earns you free guides and/or discounts. And always earns my great appreciation.
Gear Questions and Advice
Too many folks attending BAA IPTs and dozens of photographers whom I see in the field and on BPN, are — out of ignorance — using the wrong gear, especially when it comes to tripods and more especially, tripod heads. And the same is true in spades when ordering new camera bodies or lenses. My advice will often save you some serious money and may help you avoid making a seriously bad choice. Please know that I am always glad to answer your gear questions via e-mail. If you are desperate, you can try me on my cell at 863-221-2372. Please leave a message and shoot me a text if I do not pick up.
Don’t Just Shoot: Learn
To learn of the late-registration discounts and AirBnB availability for the Jacksonville Royal Terns with chicks and more extended IPT late June/early July, or If you are interested in changing your life and becoming a better photographer by joining me on an Extended IPT at Sebastian Inlet for Ospreys and more (SEPT 25 to NOV 24, 2025) or in San Diego for Pacific-race Brown Pelicans and more (JAN 6 to FEB 2, 2026), please e-mail for dates, rates, terms, and additional information. Or shoot me a text to 863-221-2372. Both offerings include options for shared AirBnB lodging and ground transportation during your stay.
BILD EXPO Presented by B&H
Why Attend? BIRDS AS ART Appearances, Speakers, Gear, Deals, and More!
Bild Expo is back! Join us at The Javits Center in New York City for an unforgettable event featuring 100+ expert speakers, 250+ exhibitors, hands-on experiences, and the world’s greatest creative community. B&H’s incredible show specials will be the icing on the cake! Whether you’re a seasoned pro, an enthusiast, or a beginner, at Bild you will get inspired, learn, meet like-minded people, and celebrate being part of this amazing world of creativity.
I am pleased to announce that I will be doing portfolio reviews and four round table sessions at BILD this June. Here are the round table topics:
1- Systems, Lenses, and Camera Bodies for Bird Photography
2- Creating Sharp Bird Photographs
3- Bird Photography Hotspots
4- Creating Bird Photographs that depict Flight, Action, and Behavior
Click here or on the logo link above for more information.
Wide/AF-C with Bird-Eye/Face Detection performed perfectly. Click on the image to enjoy the high-res version.
Image #1: Osprey in fresh juvenal plumage on pier railing
Juvenile Ospreys
With their extraordinarily long, sharp talons, orange irises — they are yellow on the adults, and crisply edged black covert and back feathers, young Ospreys just out of the nest are very handsome, among the most attractive juvenile raptors on the planet. From the seven nests down by the lake, I am only aware of two fledglings hanging around the pier this season. And one of them very much likes the pier.
It Was a Cloudy Morning
It was a cloudy morning and there was not much around. I had made a few so-so images of a Black-bellied Whistling Duck and a pied juvenile Little Blue Heron. There was, however, a handsome juvenile Osprey sitting on the pier railing. So, I parked, grabbed my 1200mm rig and the tripod, and walked slowly down the pier hoping for a tight head portrait; some juvenile Ospreys allow for a close approach. This one did not :-(.
For the full body portrait, I pulled the tripod legs in a bit to get as tall as possible to place the faint impression of the distant part of the pier above the bird’s head. With the great Sony OSSs (Optical Stabilization Systems), one in the lens and one in the camera body (AKA IBIS), working at 1/640 sec. at 1200mm was child’s play. I do not hesitate to go as slow as 1/60 second when working at 1200mm on the tripod.
Talon and Railing Cleanup
A close look at the young bird’s talons in Photoshop revealed that it had recently enjoyed a meal of fish. In short, the bird’s feet were a mess. In addition, I was not thrilled by the bent board behind the bird’s feet. So, I went to work with the Remove Tool, the Clone Stamp Tool, and a small Quick Mask or two each refined by a Regular Layer Mask.
The BIRDS AS ART Current Workflow e-Guide (Digital Basics II).
You can order your copy from the BAA Online Store here, by sending a PayPal for $40 here, or by calling Jim or Jennifer weekdays at 863-692-0906 with your credit card in hand. Be sure to specify Digital Basics II.
The BIRDS AS ART Current Workflow e-Guide (Digital Basics II)
The techniques mentioned above and tons more great Photoshop tips and techniques — along with my complete digital workflow, Digital Eye Doctor Techniques, and all my personalized Keyboard Shortcuts — are covered in detail in the BIRDS AS ART Current Workflow e-Guide (Digital Basics II), an instructional PDF that is sent via e-mail. Note: folks working on a PC and/or those who do not want to miss anything Photoshop may wish to purchase the original Digital Basics along with DB II while saving $15 by clicking here to buy the DB Bundle.
Please note: the Divide and Conquer technique was inadvertently omitted from DB II. It is detailed in a free excerpt in the blog post here.
Folks who learn well by following along rather than by reading can check out the complete collection of MP 4 Photoshop Tutorial Videos by clicking here. Note: most of the videos are now priced at an amazingly low $5.00 each.
You can learn how and why I converted all of my Canon digital RAW files in DPP 4 in the DPP 4 RAW Conversion Guide here. More recently, I became proficient at converting my Nikon RAW (NEF) files in Adobe Camera Raw. About three years ago I began converting my Nikon and Sony RAW files in Capture One and did that for two years. You can learn more about Capture One in the Capture One Pro 12 Simplified MP4 Video here. The next step would be to get a copy of Arash Hazeghi’s “The Nikon Photographers’ Guide to Phase One Capture One Pro e-Guide” in the blog post here. Today, I routinely convert my Sony raw files in Photoshop with the latest version of Adobe Camera Raw.
You can learn advanced Quick Masking and advanced Layer Masking techniques in APTATS I & II. You can save $15 by purchasing the pair.
The Digital Basics III Video Series
The Digital Basics III Video Series
I realized well more than a year ago that my digital workflow had changed significantly and was toying with the idea of writing a Digital Basics III. More recently, I learned and begun working with two great new Photoshop Tools, the Remove Tool and the Luminance Targeted Adjustment Tool. The former is like a smarter Spot Healing Brush Tool on steroids and the latter is a step up from the fabulous Color Mixer Tool. During that same time frame, I came up with a new and improved 2-step noise reduction technique. I still use Divide and Conquer, Quick Masks, Layer Masks, an expanded array of personalized keyboard shortcuts, and tons of other stuff from both versions of Digital Basics.
As soon as I realized that I did not want to take on another large writing project, I realized that by creating a series of videos I could much more easily share all the details of my current digital workflow and much more easily incorporate additional new tips, techniques, and tools as I went. And so, The Digital Basics III Video Series was born.
You can purchase the Digital Basics III Video Series by clicking here. The videos will be most valuable for folks using the latest version of Photoshop (2024) or Lightroom along with Topaz DeNoise AI and Topaz Sharpen AI.
Wide/AF-C with Bird-Eye/Face Detection performed perfectly. Click on the image to enjoy the high-res version.
Image #2: Osprey in fresh juvenal plumage landing on lamppost
Think Fast, Act Fast
When the young raptor took flight, I knew that 1/640 sec. would not cut it so I spun the shutter speed dial five or six times to increase the shutter and did likewise to the Thumb Dial to raise the ISO, both without counting. I figured faster would be much better and that I would be in the right neighborhood exposure-wise.
I was a bit disappointed when the bird landed as I am not a big fan of lampposts as perches for birds, handsome or otherwise. The lamppost got me thinking …
Note that I knew that the bird would be landing away from me as the breeze was from the southwest.
From Image #2, above; branch courtesy of Generative Fill
Image #2A: Osprey in fresh juvenal plumage landing on not a lamppost anymore
What If …
I thought, what if the lamppost were a branch? And in the moment, I decided to take my first step down the slippery slope of (AI) Generative Fill. I circled the lamppost with the Patch Tool (my keyboard shortcut “P”), went to Edit > Generative Fill, typed “branch” in the Prompt dialogue box, and hit Generate. Three results popped up but all had too many twigs. So, I tried “single curved branch” and three more popped up. I was not thrilled by any of them but I selected the best of the lot, trimmed the end, and then selected the branch and desaturated it.
I am curious as to your thoughts about using (AI) Generative Fill in the manner shown here.
Wide/AF-C with Bird-Eye/Face Detection performed perfectly. Click on the image to enjoy the high-res version.
Image #3: Osprey in fresh juvenal plumage in flight
Remarkable
It is truly amazing that today, photographers can create a fairly decent flight image working at 1200mm with an ISO of 8000. The improvement in the technological advances made with the high end mirrorless gear is indeed remarkable. Who would’a thunk it?
Typos
With all blog posts, feel free to e-mail or to leave a comment regarding any typos or errors.
Which of today’s three featured photos do you like best? Why did you make your choice?
In the Last Blog Post
In the last blog post, my favorites were Image #3: White Ibis feeling for mole crab and #10: Incoming Royal Tern. For me, the single most ordinary of the lot was Image #6: Nanday Parakeet stretching wings. Thanks to the two folks who commented.
Pier Walks
With most of the grassy areas by the lake too wet to drive on safely, I have been finished shooting from the car at about 8:00am recently. Most days, I will take off my shirt to get some vitamin D, grab a lens, and walk the pier, the longest fresh water pier in the state of Florida. On sunny days I will usually grab the 400-800. On very cloudy days I will grab the 300 f/2.8 with the 1.4X TC. And on cloudy bright days I might go for the 300 with the 2X TC. It’s nice to have a choice. In the past, I have made some nice images with the 70-200 and the 2x TC. Most days, I am able to come up with a few keepers. Some days, however, are stones (not diamonds). But I always enjoy my walk even on very buggy days; the gnats and mayflies — often swarms of them, do not bite.
Don’t Just Shoot: Learn
To learn of the late-registration discounts and AirBnB availability for the Jacksonville Royal Terns with chicks and more extended IPT late June/early July, or If you are interested in changing your life and becoming a better photographer by joining me on an Extended IPT at Sebastian Inlet for Ospreys and more (SEPT 25 to NOV 24, 2025) or in San Diego for Pacific-race Brown Pelicans and more (JAN 6 to FEB 2, 2026), please e-mail for dates, rates, terms, and additional information. Or shoot me a text to 863-221-2372. Both offerings include options for shared AirBnB lodging and ground transportation during your stay.
BILD EXPO Presented by B&H
Why Attend? BIRDS AS ART Appearances, Speakers, Gear, Deals, and More!
I am pleased to announce that I will be doing portfolio reviews and four round table sessions at BILD this June. Here are the round table topics:
1- Systems, Lenses, and Camera Bodies for Bird Photography
2- Creating Sharp Bird Photographs
3- Bird Photography Hotspots
4- Creating Bird Photographs that depict Flight, Action, and Behavior
Stay tuned for a definitive schedule. I hope to see you there.
Bild Expo is back! Join us at The Javits Center in New York City for an unforgettable event featuring 100+ expert speakers, 250+ exhibitors, hands-on experiences, and the world’s greatest creative community. B&H’s incredible show specials will be the icing on the cake! Whether you’re a seasoned pro, an enthusiast, or a beginner, at Bild you will get inspired, learn, meet like-minded people, and celebrate being part of this amazing world of creativity.
Click here or on the logo link above for more information.
The rain and mediocre bird photography at Indian Lake Estates continue. I was glad to learn yesterday that many multiple IPT veteran and longtime BAA friend Pat Fishburne sold her Sony a-1 for $3098.00 after the second $100.00 price drop. I have another one coming up for sale most likely in like-new or better condition. If you are interested, please shoot me an e-mail or try me on my cell at 863-221-2372. Please leave a message and shoot me a text if I do not pick up.
Today is Sunday 8 June 2025. Whatever you opt to do, I hope that you too choose to have a wonderful and productive day. Do remember that happiness is a choice — Byron Katie, The Work.Com.
I’ve got lots of packing to do as I fly to Long Island early on tomorrow morning for a week of early season bird photography at Nickerson Beach before attending BILD (the latter courtesy of my friends at B&H). If you are interested in a fun morning, afternoon, or day (or two) of In-the-Field Instruction there, please get in touch via e-mail or try me on my cell at 863-221-2372. Please leave a message and shoot me a text if I do not pick up.
If an item — a Delkin flash card or a Levered-clamp FlexShooter Pro — for example, that is available from B&H and/or Bedfords, is also available in the BAA Online Store, it would be great, and greatly appreciated, if you would opt to purchase from us. We will match any price. Please remember also to use my B&H affiliate links or to earn 3% cash back at Bedfords by using the BIRDSASART discount code at checkout for your major gear purchases. Doing either often earns you free guides and/or discounts. And always earns my great appreciation.
Gear Questions and Advice
Too many folks attending BAA IPTs and dozens of photographers whom I see in the field and on BPN, are — out of ignorance — using the wrong gear, especially when it comes to tripods and more especially, tripod heads. And the same is true in spades when ordering new camera bodies or lenses. My advice will often save you some serious money and may help you avoid making a seriously bad choice. Please know that I am always glad to answer your gear questions via e-mail. If you are desperate, you can try me on my cell at 863-221-2372. Please leave a message and shoot me a text if I do not pick up.
B&H Simplified
To ensure that I get credit for your B&H purchases, you can always click here. The tracking is invisible but greatly appreciated. And, you can use your PayBoo card. You must use the website to order. You cannot get your free guides if you make a phone order. Once you have an item in your cart, you must complete the order within two hours. Huge thanks!
Bedfords Simplified
Click here to start your search. Choose standard shipping, and when you get to the payment page, enter BIRDSASART in the discount code box and hit apply. You will be upgraded to free second day air Fed-Ex and receive 3% cash back on your credit card once your stuff ships. Either is greatly appreciated by yours truly.
B&H
Many folks have written recently stating that they purchased a Sony a1 from B&H and would like their free membership in the Sony 1 Info and Updates Group, a $150.00 value. But when I check my affiliate account, their orders have not been there. When I let them know that they get credit for B&H purchases only if they use one of the many B&H affiliate links on the blog or begin their searches with this link, they are always disappointed. If in doubt, please contact me via e-mail and request a BH link. I am always glad to help and to guide you to the right gear.
Bedfords Amazing BAA Discount Policy
Folks who have fallen in love with Bedfords can now use the BIRDSASART coupon code at checkout to enjoy a post-purchase, 3% off-statement credit (excluding taxes and shipping charges) on orders paid with a credit card. The 3% credit will be refunded to the card you used for your purchase. Be sure, also, to check the box for free shipping to enjoy free Second Day Air Fed-Ex. This offer does not apply to purchases of Classes, Gift Cards, prior purchases.
Visit the Bedfords website here, shoot Steve Elkins an e-mail, or text him on his cell phone at (479) 381-2592.
This image was created on 2 June 2025 from the pier down by the lake at near my home. Leaning on the pier railing I used the hand held Sony FE 300mm f/2.8 GM OSS Lens (Sony E) with the Sony FE 1.4x Teleconverter and the Latest Greatest Sony Flagship Body, the a1 II Mirrorless Camera. ISO 5000. Exposure determined via Zebras with ISO on the Thumb Wheel; 1/400 sec. at f/4 (wide open) in Manual mode. RawDigger showed that the exposure was dead solid perfect: AWB at 8:22:27am in total shade on a cloudy morning.
Wide/AF-C with Bird Eye/Face Detection enabled performed perfectly.
Image #1: Green Heron adult on pier supports
Image copyright 2025 Arthur Morris/BIRDS AS ART
Keep Your Eyes Open
I am always looking for Green Herons when I walk the pier at this time of the year. Those that sit on the pier railings are easy to spot but usually difficult to approach. Others, like this one, fish from the wooden framework below the deck of the pier. I only saw this bird because it was below the square part at the end of the pier. I braced my left forearm on the railing and used a high ISO to expose to the right.
I love the simplistic, almost cartoonish look of this one. Did you notice the gnat in the bird’s bill?
This image was created on 4 June 2025 on the pier down by the lake near my home. Standing as tall as possible, I used the hand held Sony FE 300mm f/2.8 GM OSS Lens (Sony E) with the Sony FE 2x Teleconverter and the Latest Greatest Sony Flagship Body, the a1 II Mirrorless Camera. ISO 2000. Exposure determined via Zebras with ISO on the Thumb Wheel; 1/1600 sec. at f/5.6 (wide open) in Manual mode. RawDigger showed that the exposure was dead solid perfect: AWB at 8:29:06am on a partly sunny morning.
Tracking: Zone/AF-C with Bird Eye/Face Detection enabled performed perfectly.
Image #2: Black Vulture (adult and juvenile) on pier railing — juxtaposition
Image copyright 2025 Arthur Morris/BIRDS AS ART
When All You Have is Lemons …
When the vultures are sitting on the railings, they can — at times, be relatively easy to approach as long as you move very slowly. I was trying for tight head shots of the young single bird, but the adult kept hopping right behind the youngster, the one with the fuzzy white cap. So instead of a head portrait, I made lemonade. I needed to get as tall as possible in order to get the separation that I wanted.
Here, I love the rather creative image design. Good juxtaposition shots usually last one or two seconds so you need to think and act fast once the opportunities arise.
This image was also created on 4 June 2025 on the pier down by the lake near my home. Leaning over the pier railing and pointing the lens almost straight down, I used the hand held Sony FE 300mm f/2.8 GM OSS Lens (Sony E) with the Sony FE 2x Teleconverter and the Latest Greatest Sony Flagship Body, the a1 II Mirrorless Camera. ISO 2000. Exposure determined via Zebras with ISO on the Thumb Wheel; 1/1600 sec. at f/5.6 (wide open) in Manual mode. RawDigger showed that the exposure was dead solid perfect: AWB at 8:59:07am on a partly sunny morning.
Tracking: Zone/AF-C with Bird Eye/Face Detection enabled performed perfectly.
Image #3: Water Lily blossom opening
Image copyright 2025 Arthur Morris/BIRDS AS ART
Shooting Straight Down
I’d been checking out the water lilies for several weeks on my walks. I had made only a very few images and kept none. Until this one. I love the soft light, the image design, the orange center, the sharpness, and the black water with the swirlies.
Typos
With all blog posts, feel free to e-mail or to leave a comment regarding any typos or errors.
Which two of today’s featured images are your favorites and which two do you feel are rather ordinary? Why for each if you would.
Enjoying the Sony 400-800 on the Beach at Fort DeSoto
I cannot fully explain how much I love walking the beach on sunny or cloudy bright days with a single lens that I can use without a tripod and still enjoy 800mm of reach without a TC. It is total freedom. And easy. And fun. Check out the great versatility of the Sony 400-800 by scrolling down and learning a few things about bird photography as well.
I fly to Long Island early on Monday morning for a week of early season bird photography at Nickerson Beach before attending BILD courtesy of my friends at B&H. If you are interested in a fun morning, afternoon, or day (or two) of In-the-Field Instruction there, please get in touch via e-mail or try me on my cell at 863-221-2372. Please leave a message and shoot me a text if I do not pick up.
Speaking of my Nickerson Beach trip, I was considering leaving the 600mm f/4 and the tripod at home and traveling only with the 400-800 and the 300mm f/2.8 gm lens, three TCs, and two a-1 ii bodies. But I will likely bring the 600 and a tripod to use when it is cloudy and overcast.
The pipelines for the 400-800 lenses and the a-1 ii bodies are loosening up somewhat. Whatever you do, be sure to use my affiliate links to earn your free guides. e-mail for additional info.
The BIRDS AS ART SONY 400-800mm f/6.3-9 G Super-telephoto Zoom Lens Guide
When I borrowed this lens from Sony, I assumed that at 5.45 pounds it was too heavy to handhold for long and that at f/8 at the long end (800mm,) it was too slow for most bird photography applications. In short, I did not want to like the lens. After a month of using it, I cannot live without it. After returning the loaner, I was miraculously able to get my own from Bedfords on 16 April 2025. In this guide I share everything that I have learned about using the 400-800. For best results, you need to know exactly what you are doing to get the most out of this zoom lens. It would be best, therefore, to consider and study the material in the guide so that you can begin making great images with your new lens.
You will learn how to deal with the relatively show apertures: f/6.3, f/7.1, and f/8 when working in Manual mode.
You will learn how to ensure that you are working at the widest aperture by working in Shutter Priority mode with AUTO ISO.
If you are able to hand hold the lens, you will learn proper hand holding techniques.
If you can’t, you will learn when, why, and how to employ other options. Those include:
1- The knee-pod, heel-pod, and toe-pod techniques
2- Using the lens on a monopod.
3- The best lens plate and low foot for your 4-8.
4- The best tripod and head for the 4-8 and how best to utilize them.
5- How to use the lens from your vehicle while supporting it on a BLUBB (or not and why not).
6- Detailed instructions on how to set and use the lens controls and buttons:
a- AF/MF
b- DMF Switch
c- Limit Range Switch
d- OSS (Optical Steady Shot) Switch
e- OSS Mode Switch
f- Focus Hold Buttons
The guide also includes a Hand Holding Shutter Speed Primer and an illustrative, educational, and inspiring (67) image gallery.
Free to folks who use one of my two affiliate links to purchase their Sony 400-800 G lens. Otherwise, please send a PayPal for $115.43 to birdsasart@verizon.net and include the words “400-800 Lens Guide” in your e-mail.
Don’t Just Shoot: Learn
To learn of the late-registration discounts and AirBnB availability for the Jacksonville Royal Terns with chicks and more extended IPT late June/early July, or If you are interested in changing your life and becoming a better photographer by joining me on an Extended IPT at Sebastian Inlet for Ospreys and more (SEPT 25 to NOV 24, 2025) or in San Diego for Pacific-race Brown Pelicans and more (JAN 6 to FEB 2, 2026), please e-mail for dates, rates, terms, and additional information. Or shoot me a text to 863-221-2372. Both offerings include options for shared AirBnB lodging and ground transportation during your stay.
BILD EXPO Presented by B&H
Why Attend? BIRDS AS ART Appearances, Speakers, Gear, Deals, and More!
I am pleased to announce that I will be doing portfolio reviews and four round table sessions at BILD this June. Here are the round table topics:
1- Systems, Lenses, and Camera Bodies for Bird Photography
2- Creating Sharp Bird Photographs
3- Bird Photography Hotspots
4- Creating Bird Photographs that depict Flight, Action, and Behavior
Stay tuned for a definitive schedule. I hope to see you there.
Bild Expo is back! Join us at The Javits Center in New York City for an unforgettable event featuring 100+ expert speakers, 250+ exhibitors, hands-on experiences, and the world’s greatest creative community. B&H’s incredible show specials will be the icing on the cake! Whether you’re a seasoned pro, an enthusiast, or a beginner, at Bild you will get inspired, learn, meet like-minded people, and celebrate being part of this amazing world of creativity.
Click here or on the logo link above for more information.
After a sunny-every-day two month long drought, it continues to rain here most every day. Both the North and South Fields are so flooded that I will not drive on them to avoid getting stuck and the South Peninsula is not far behind. Most of the crane colts have either dispersed or perished and there are very few if any Black-bellied Whistling Ducks around. As far as bird photography is concerned, the summer doldrums are here. That said, I will of course be heading down to the lake as soon as I hit publish.
Today is Friday 6 June 2025. Whatever you opt to do, I hope that you too choose to have a wonderful and productive day. Do remember that happiness is a choice — Byron Katie, The Work.Com.
If an item — a Delkin flash card or a Levered-clamp FlexShooter Pro — for example, that is available from B&H and/or Bedfords, is also available in the BAA Online Store, it would be great, and greatly appreciated, if you would opt to purchase from us. We will match any price. Please remember also to use my B&H affiliate links or to earn 3% cash back at Bedfords by using the BIRDSASART discount code at checkout for your major gear purchases. Doing either often earns you free guides and/or discounts. And always earns my great appreciation.
Sony Alpha 1 (a-1) Mirrorless Camera Body
Price reduced $200.00 (total) on 5 June 2025
Multiple IPT veteran and longtime BAA friend Pat Fishburne is offering a rarely used Sony a-1 (ILCE-1) mirrorless camera body in excellent plus condition for a BIRDS AS ART record low $3,098.00 (was $3298.00). This body has been updated to Firmware 3.00 that reportedly improves Bird Face-Eye tracking to levels attained by the a1-ii. The camera has my latest a-1 set-up on it. The sale includes the current Buttons and Dials Guide and the Info Sheet, the original product box, one battery, the charger, the camera strap, and insured ground shipping via major courier to lower-48 US addresses only. Your item will not ship until your check clears unless other arrangements are made.
I used Sony a-1 bodies as my workhorse cameras for more than three years. They produce stunning 51MP files with vivid natural colors. The AF system is superb. They are rugged and dependable and 30 frames per second is nothing to sneeze at. With a brand new a-1 ii going for $6498.00, you can save an even $3200.00 by grabbing Pat’s nearly as good as new a- copy ASAP. Right now, B&H is offering a used Sony a-1 in the same condition, 9+, for $4,674.95 here. Don’t believe me? Click the link.
This image was created on 27 May 2025 at Fort DeSoto Park, Tierra Verde, FL. Standing at full height, I used the hand held Sony FE 400-800mm f/6.3-8 G OSS lens (Sony E) (at 800mm) and The Latest Greatest Sony Flagship Body, the a1 II Mirrorless Camera. The exposure was determined by Zebras with ISO on the rear wheel — ISO 1600: 1/4000 second at f/8 (wide open) in Manual mode. RawDigger showed that the exposure was perfect. AWB at 6:57:11pm on sunny afternoon.
Wide/AF-C with Bird-Eye/Face Detection performed perfectly. Click on the image to enjoy the larger, inexplicably sharper high-res version.
Image #1: Least Tern with baitfish
Image copyright 2025: Arthur Morris/BIRDS AS ART
Persistence Pays Off
On my first afternoon at DeSoto in late May I walked North Beach all the way to the inlet and saw a whole lot of nothing. I had almost made by way back to the parking lot for an early exit when I came across a Least Tern fishing the shallows. I stayed with it for more than five minutes and made a zillion images of the bird kiting while looking down for a fish. I missed the dive several times when I decided to pre-focus on the previous splash so that the AF system would be in the right neighborhood for the next dive when the bird emerged, hopefully with a baitfish.
Hope for the best, plan for the worst. In this case, bingo showed up in the form of a spearing.
This image was created on 28 May 2025 at Fort DeSoto Park, Tierra Verde, FL on the day I ran into Matt Milnes. Seated on damp sand, I used the knee-pod technique with the hand held Sony FE 400-800mm f/6.3-8 G OSS lens (Sony E) (at 452mm) and The Latest Greatest Sony Flagship Body, the a1 II Mirrorless Camera. The exposure was determined by Zebras with ISO on the rear wheel — ISO 1250: 1/4000 second at f/8 (wide open) in Manual mode. RawDigger showed that the exposure was dead solid perfect. AWB at 8:09:57am on a sunny morning with a bit of hazy fog in the air.
Wide/AF-C with Bird-Eye/Face Detection performed perfectly. Click on the image to enjoy the larger, inexplicably sharper high-res version.
Image #2: White Ibis in small breaking wave
Image copyright 2025: Arthur Morris/BIRDS AS ART
400-800 Versatility
When we first sat down on this bird, Matt wound up sitting too close with his fixed focal length 800mm lens. My plan was to try for face and bill shots so I sat much closer to the edge of the surf, probably about 15 feet from the bird. Every minute or so, we needed to get up and back down again to stay roughly on sun angle. To create Image #2, I simply zoomed out to 452mm so as to include the whole bird. Compare this image with Image #3 made at a similar distance to the subject. As noted previously, the 400-800 gets you from the short end to the long end with a less than 1/4-turn twist of the wrist, less than 80° as the compass flies. As the lens features an internal zoom mechanism, the length of the lens does not change as you zoom; that makes lens handling a pleasure.
How many shell fragments do you think are in the breaking wave???
This image was also created on 28 May 2025 at Fort DeSoto Park, Tierra Verde, FL, the day I ran into Matt Milnes. Seated on damp sand, I used the knee-pod technique with the hand held Sony FE 400-800mm f/6.3-8 G OSS lens (Sony E) (at 710mm) and The Latest Greatest Sony Flagship Body, the a1 II Mirrorless Camera. The exposure was determined by Zebras with ISO on the rear wheel — ISO 1250: 1/4000 second at f/8 (wide open) in Manual mode. RawDigger showed that the exposure was dead solid perfect. AWB at 8:12:16am on sunny morning with a bit of hazy fog in the air. .
Wide/AF-C with Bird-Eye/Face Detection performed perfectly. Click on the image to enjoy the larger, inexplicably sharper high-res version.
Image #3: White Ibis feeling for mole crab
Image copyright 2025: Arthur Morris/BIRDS AS ART
Sensitive Bill Tips
Most shorebird and some wading bird species (especially those with long curved or decurved bills) have very sensitive bill tips, quite similar to our fingertips. As they probe the substrate for invertebrate prey items, they are actually feeling for their quarry. When they feel something that they identify as a meal, they grab it with their bill.
Image #3A: 100% crop of the White Ibis feeling for mole crab image: water abstract pattern
Image copyright 2025: Arthur Morris/BIRDS AS ART
Patterns are Where You See Them
I saw this unintentional water pattern abstract in Photoshop when working large while removing some nasty specular highlights. Note that the bird does not have a prey item in its bill, at least as far as we can see, the base of its bill.
This image was also created on 28 May 2025 at Fort DeSoto Park, Tierra Verde, FL, the day I ran into Matt Milnes. Seated on damp sand, I used the knee-pod technique with the hand held Sony FE 400-800mm f/6.3-8 G OSS lens (Sony E) (at 400mm) and The Latest Greatest Sony Flagship Body, the a1 II Mirrorless Camera. The exposure was determined by Zebras with ISO on the rear wheel — ISO 1250: 1/3200 second at f/8 (wide open) in Manual mode. RawDigger showed that the exposure was dead solid perfect. AWB at 8:18:08am on sunny morning with a bit of hazy fog in the air. .
Wide/AF-C with Bird-Eye/Face Detection performed perfectly. Click on the image to enjoy the larger, inexplicably sharper high-res version.
Image #4: White Ibis incoming flight
Image copyright 2025: Arthur Morris/BIRDS AS ART
One Out of Two Ain’t Bad
Universal advice for better flight photography with a zoom lens: zoom out!
Universal advice for better flight photography: pan faster.
I saw this bird out of the corner of my eye flying in from my right to land in front of us. I zoomed out to the max but failed to pan fast enough to keep the bird in the back of the frame. Therefore, I needed to either add canvas in front of the bird or crop to a square. I went for the former but it took me several tries to create something decent without any obvious seams or depth-of-field mismatches.
This image was also created on 28 May 2025 at Fort DeSoto Park, Tierra Verde, FL on the day I ran into Matt Milnes. Standing at full height, I used the hand held Sony FE 400-800mm f/6.3-8 G OSS lens (Sony E) (at 800mm) and The Latest Greatest Sony Flagship Body, the a1 II Mirrorless Camera. The exposure was determined by Zebras with ISO on the rear wheel — ISO 1250: 1/4000 second at f/8 (wide open) in Manual mode. RawDigger showed that the exposure was perfect. AWB at 8:50:53am on sunny morning.
Wide/AF-C with Bird-Eye/Face Detection performed perfectly. Click on the image to enjoy the larger, inexplicably sharper high-res version.
Image #5: Semipalmated Sandpiper in flight
Image copyright 2025: Arthur Morris/BIRDS AS ART
Huge Crop/Flyby Miracle
Peeps are small fast birds. When I saw this bird zoom past me on the beach, I raised the 4-8, acquired focus, and fired off a few frames. I did not expect to get anything worthwhile. I could not, however, resist this bird’s perfect downstroke wing position along with a decent head angle. How large was the crop? The optimized .TIF file comprised of slightly less than 13% of the original pixels. So, more than 97% of the image was cropped away and discarded. A testament to the quality (and crop-ability) of sharp a-1 and a-1 ii raw files.
This image was also created on 28 May 2025 at Fort DeSoto Park, Tierra Verde, FL. Standing at full height, I used the hand held Sony FE 400-800mm f/6.3-8 G OSS lens (Sony E) (at 725mm) and The Latest Greatest Sony Flagship Body, the a1 II Mirrorless Camera. The exposure was determined by Zebras with ISO on the rear wheel — ISO 2000: 1/3200 second at f/8 (wide open) in Manual mode. RawDigger showed that the exposure was perfect. AWB at 6:14:22pm on mostly sunny afternoon.
Wide/AF-C with Bird-Eye/Face Detection performed perfectly. Click on the image to enjoy the larger, inexplicably sharper high-res version.
Image #6: Nanday Parakeet stretching wings
Image copyright 2025: Arthur Morris/BIRDS AS ART
An Introduced, Now Established Species
Nanday Parakeets, also known as Black-hooded Parakeets, are a non-native species in Florida, originating from South America. They have established populations in central and south Florida, particularly around the Tampa Bay area and southeastern coast — AI Overview. They are seen frequently at Fort DeSoto. They are fast fliers and with their dark faces, a challenge to photograph well.
This image was also created on 28 May 2025 at Fort DeSoto Park, Tierra Verde, FL. Seated on damp mud I used the foot-pod technique with the hand held Sony FE 400-800mm f/6.3-8 G OSS lens (Sony E) (at 800mm) and The Latest Greatest Sony Flagship Body, the a1 II Mirrorless Camera. The exposure was determined by Zebras with ISO on the rear wheel — ISO 2000: 1/3200 second at f/8 (wide open) in Manual mode. RawDigger showed that the exposure was perfect. AWB at 6:14:22pm on mostly sunny afternoon.
Wide/AF-C with Bird-Eye/Face Detection performed perfectly. Click on the image to enjoy the larger, inexplicably sharper high-res version.
Image #7: Dunlin foraging among worm hole burrows
Image copyright 2025: Arthur Morris/BIRDS AS ART
Worm Hole Burrows
The small mounds of sand in this image are lugworm burrows. Lugworms are fairly large, black seaworms. They are a favorite food of Marbled Godwit but the godwits rarely get to swallow them as the instant they drag one out of the burrow, they are assaulted either by a piratical Black-bellied Plover or Willet. As the tide recedes at DeSoto, it is common to come across wet mudflats of an acre or two covered with lugworm burrows. I have never seen a Dunlin or any other small shorebird grab a lugworm; they prefect much smaller prey items.
This image was also created on 28 May 2025 at Fort DeSoto Park, Tierra Verde, FL. Seated on damp mud I used the foot-pod technique with the hand held Sony FE 400-800mm f/6.3-8 G OSS lens (Sony E) (at 689mm) and The Latest Greatest Sony Flagship Body, the a1 II Mirrorless Camera. The exposure was determined by Zebras with ISO on the rear wheel — ISO 1600: 1/2500 second at f/8 (wide open) in Manual mode. RawDigger showed that the exposure was perfect. AWB at 6:55:45pm on mostly sunny afternoon.
Wide/AF-C with Bird-Eye/Face Detection performed perfectly. Click on the image to enjoy the larger, inexplicably sharper high-res version.
Image #8: Semipalmated Plover pulling small worm
Image copyright 2025: Arthur Morris/BIRDS AS ART
Oops!
On that Wednesday afternoon, I had not expected much action as the afternoon before had been a dud. So, of course, I filled a card and did not have a second card with me. This was one of the last images that I made as several shorebirds foraged at close range right down sun angle. Understand that this was not the first time I have made this rookie mistake; I just do not learn my lesson.
This image was created on 29 May 2025 at Fort DeSoto Park, Tierra Verde, FL on an In-the-Field morning with Matt Milnes. Seated in ten inches of saltwater, I used the hand held Sony FE 400-800mm f/6.3-8 G OSS lens (Sony E) (at 619mm) and The Latest Greatest Sony Flagship Body, the a1 II Mirrorless Camera. The exposure was determined by Zebras with ISO on the rear wheel — ISO 1250: 1/4000 second at f/8 (wide open) in Manual mode. RawDigger showed that the exposure was dead-solid perfect. AWB at 8:33:17am on a sunny, slightly hazy morning.
Wide/AF-C with Bird-Eye/Face Detection performed perfectly. Click on the image to enjoy the larger, inexplicably sharper high-res version.
Image #9: Sandwich Tern scratching in flight
Image copyright 2025: Arthur Morris/BIRDS AS ART
Why Sit in the Water for Flight?
When the wind and light are behind you, and some terns and gulls are landing on the beach or on a spit in front of you, what is the advantage of sitting down in the water? Thanks to Matt for helping me up without my dunking my lens.
This image was created on 29 May 2025 at Fort DeSoto Park, Tierra Verde, FL on an In-the-Field morning with Matt Milnes. Seated in ten inches of saltwater, I used the hand held Sony FE 400-800mm f/6.3-8 G OSS lens (Sony E) (at 600mm) and The Latest Greatest Sony Flagship Body, the a1 II Mirrorless Camera. The exposure was determined by Zebras with ISO on the rear wheel — ISO 1250: 1/3200 second at f/8 (wide open) in Manual mode. RawDigger showed that the exposure was dead-solid perfect. AWB at 8:34:27am on a sunny, slightly hazy morning.
Wide/AF-C with Bird-Eye/Face Detection performed perfectly. Click on the image to enjoy the larger, inexplicably sharper high-res version.
Image #10: Incoming Royal Tern
Image copyright 2025: Arthur Morris/BIRDS AS ART
Full Frame Perfection
It is rare that everything goes right with a flight image. This one features a super-sharp bird, sweet light, a lovely background, and, at 600mm, lot of pixels on the subject without having clipped anything. In short, a usually unrealized goal, at least for me. The tendency with a super-telephoto zoom lens is to be safe by zooming out a bit too much. Images #1 and #8 are both good examples of this as both were cropped substantially.
Typos
With all blog posts, feel free to e-mail or to leave a comment regarding any typos or errors.
In the last blog post, A Surprising End to a Bok Tower Gardens Morning Photo Walkhere, my favorite flower image was Image #3 for the sharp purple tip of the disc florets and the lovely defocused petals and the sweet background. My favorite owl photo was Image #6 for the sharpness and the curious pose.
From the My New Lady Friend — I’ll Never See Her Again! Blog Post Here
Thanks Matthew!
The breadth of knowledge and skills of the folks who visit the blog regularly continues to amaze me. And so does their willingness to share so freely. Huge thanks to Matthew Milnes not only for helping me identify the big lady turtle, but for sharing his extensive knowledge of turtle natural history with me. Matt, married with two little one — 7 and 11 years old, lives in Milledgeville, GA where he is a biology professor at Georgia College. He grew up in Clearwater, Florida (not far from Fort DeSoto) and has spent his career studying the physiology of reptiles.
Years ago, he took a few trips to places like Merritt Island NWR and the Outer Banks. From those outings morphed a desire to photograph wading birds, waterfowl, and shorebirds. (Does that sound familiar?) In a typical year he makes two or three coastal trips to photograph birds to places somewhat connected to his job. He does, however, while doing field work for his job, have lots of chances to photograph snakes, lizards, frogs, and salamanders.
From Matt I learned that the Peninsular Cooter in question, was nesting very early and that the rates of embryonic development in reptiles are temperature-dependent. There is, therefore, usually a broad range of incubation periods. I learned that the range of incubation time for this species is from 60-150 days — about 60 days would be for eggs laid in the summer, and probably close to 150 days for eggs laid in December. And I learned that some hatchlings of this species are known to overwinter in the nest if they hatch in late fall! Based on his prior experience incubating turtle eggs, the time of year, and my location, Matt guesstimated that the eggs would hatch in 3-4 months.
In-the-Field at Fort DeSoto with Matt Milnes
After accidentally running into Matt at DeSoto on Wednesday morning past, he booked an In-the-Field session for the next morning. We both lucked out as we actually had some birds. Using his hand held Nikon NIKKOR Z 800mm f/6.3 VR S lens with a Nikon Z9 Mirrorless Camera, Matt made many excellent images. He sent me this e-mail on Friday:
Dear Artie,
I want to thank you again for another great round of instruction. I regularly read your blog, and learn a lot doing so, but there’s no substitute for being by your side in the field. What I found particularly helpful during our most recent morning session was seeing how you approach a single bird or a mixed flock of birds under different environmental conditions. I also picked up helpful tips about when to shoot from a low vs high perspective based on surroundings and the activity of the birds. The photo review over brunch will help me cull images more efficiently and critically review my own work. Lastly, and maybe most importantly, I had fun shooting with you and made some images that make me happy.
All the best,
Matt
Once we sat down for brunch at Skyway Jack’s Restaurant in St. Pete and I began downloading his images to my laptop for an image review session, it took me all of 20 seconds to realize that Matt was a darned good bird photographer.
This image was created by BAA-friend and IPT veteran Matthew Milnes on a 29 May 2025 In-the-Field Morning at Fort DeSoto Park, Tierra Verde, FL. Standing at full height he used the hand held Nikon NIKKOR Z 800mm f/6.3 VR S Lens (Nikon Z) with the top of the line Nikon Z9 Mirrorless Camera. ISO 1600: 1/2000 second at f/6.3 (wide open) in Manual mode. AWB at 7:26:50am on still, sunny morning with some moisture in the air.
Image #1: Dunlin in breeding plumage foraging
Image courtesy of and copyright 2025: Matthew Milnes
Image optimization by Arthur Morris/BIRDS AS ART
Lesson #1
On still mornings with mirror-like reflections, standing at full height can be better than getting low. A further advantage is that you will get to make some images before possibly scaring the subject away as you get on the ground.
This image was also created by BAA-friend and IPT veteran Matthew Milnes on a 29 May 2025 In-the-Field Morning at Fort DeSoto Park, Tierra Verde, FL. Seated on damp mud, he used the knee-pod technique with the hand held Nikon NIKKOR Z 800mm f/6.3 VR S Lens (Nikon Z) with the top of the line Nikon Z9 Mirrorless Camera. ISO 2000: 1/1600 second at f/6.3 (wide open) in Manual mode. AWB at 7:34:27am on still, sunny morning with just a bit of moisture in the air.
Image #2: Dunlin in breeding plumage with tiny invertebrate in bill
Image courtesy of and copyright 2025: Matthew Milnes
Image optimization by Arthur Morris/BIRDS AS ART
Lesson #2
When photographing foraging shorebirds, acquire focus when the bird is roughly parallel to the imaging sensor and fire away; if you wait for things to be perfect, you will miss the shot and come up completely empty.
This image was also created by BAA-friend and IPT veteran Matthew Milnes on a 29 May 2025 In-the-Field Morning at Fort DeSoto Park, Tierra Verde, FL. Seated on damp sand, he used the knee-pod technique with the hand held Nikon NIKKOR Z 800mm f/6.3 VR S Lens (Nikon Z) with the top of the line Nikon Z9 Mirrorless Camera. ISO 800: 1/3200 second at f/6.3 (wide open) in Manual mode. AWB at 8:02:55am on then sunny morning with just a bit of moisture in the air.
Image #3: Red Knot in surf
Image courtesy of and copyright 2025: Matthew Milnes
Image optimization by Arthur Morris/BIRDS AS ART
Lessons #3 & 3A
Watch the breaking wavelets. Strive to place the line of the wave either above the bird or at its feet. Best case: water only with no sign of a wave.
The best head angle almost often has the bird facing 1-3 degrees toward us.
This image was also created by BAA-friend and IPT veteran Matthew Milnes on a 29 May 2025 In-the-Field Morning at Fort DeSoto Park, Tierra Verde, FL. Seated on damp sand, he used the knee-pod technique with the hand held Nikon NIKKOR Z 800mm f/6.3 VR S Lens (Nikon Z) with the top of the line Nikon Z9 Mirrorless Camera. ISO 640: 1/4000 second at f/6.3 (wide open) in Manual mode. AWB at 8:11:45am on then sunny morning with just a hint of moisture in the air.
Image #4: White Ibis with Mole Crab in bill
Image courtesy of and copyright 2025: Matthew Milnes
Image optimization by Arthur Morris/BIRDS AS ART
Lesson #4
When a bird is feeding with its long bill in the sand or the water, press the shutter button as it emerges. Note that applying lessons #1, 2, and 3 also worked well for Image #4. Matt had several stunners in what was a short sequence.
This image was also created by BAA-friend and IPT veteran Matthew Milnes on a 29 May 2025 In-the-Field Morning at Fort DeSoto Park, Tierra Verde, FL. Seated in ten inches of saltwater, he used the hand held Nikon NIKKOR Z 800mm f/6.3 VR S Lens (Nikon Z) with the top of the line Nikon Z9 Mirrorless Camera. ISO 500: 1/4000 second at f/6.3 (wide open) in Manual mode. AWB at 8:36:43am on then sunny morning with just a bit of moisture in the air.
Image #5: Black Skimmer, breeding plumage adult — tight flight crop
Image courtesy of and copyright 2025: Matthew Milnes
Image optimization by Arthur Morris/BIRDS AS ART
Lessons #5 & 5A
Be aggressive when shooting flight. Once you acquire focus, press the shutter button and keep it pressed even if you know the images are mis-framed you never know what a creative crop can do.
When photographing terns and gulls and skimmers flying in to land on a beach or a spit with the sun and the wind behind you, sitting in the water to shoot flight effectively moves the background farther from the subject than it would be if you were standing. Note; Matt’s skimmer was a fly-by. Kudos to him for getting on the bird; I tried and failed.
A Quick Comparison
The Nikon Z 800 Z weighs 5.2 lbs., focuses down to 16′ 4″, costs $6496.95, features a constant wide aperture of f/6.3, and a single focal length: 800mm.
Th Sony 400-800 G lens weighs 5.45 lbs., has an MFD of 11′ 5″ at 800mm, costs $3298.00, and, at f/8, is 2/3 stop slower than the Nikon Z 800, and is far more versatile with its 400 to 800mm focal length range.
Both lenses are exceedingly sharp and can be hand held by most but not all folks. In hands of a competent photographer, both of these technological marvels are more than up to the task of making high quality photographs.
Typos
With all blog posts, feel free to e-mail or to leave a comment regarding any typos or errors.
Which of the three flower images is the strongest? Which of the three bird photographs do you like best? Why for each? I will share my thoughts in the next blog post.
Gear Questions and Advice
Too many folks attending BAA IPTs and dozens of photographers whom I see in the field and on BPN, are — out of ignorance — using the wrong gear, especially when it comes to tripods and more especially, tripod heads. And the same is true in spades when ordering new camera bodies or lenses. My advice will often save you some serious money and may help you avoid making a seriously bad choice. Please know that I am always glad to answer your gear questions via e-mail. If you are desperate, you can try me on my cell at 863-221-2372. Please leave a message and shoot me a text if I do not pick up.
What’s Up?
After accidentally running into old friend Matt Milnes at DeSoto on Wednesday morning past, he booked an In-the-Field session for the next morning. We both lucked out as we actually had some birds. Using his hand held Nikon NIKKOR Z 800mm f/6.3 VR S lens with a Nikon Z9 Mirrorless Camera. More on Matt, the lens, and some of his best images from the morning here soon. He sent me this e-mail on Friday:
Dear Artie,
I want to thank you again for another great round of instruction. I regularly read your blog, and learn a lot doing so, but there’s no substitute for being by your side in the field. What I found particularly helpful during our most recent morning session was seeing how you approach a single bird or a mixed flock of birds under different environmental conditions. I also picked up helpful tips about when to shoot from a low vs high perspective based on surroundings and the activity of the birds. The photo review over brunch will help me cull images more efficiently and critically review my own work. Lastly, and maybe most importantly, I had fun shooting with you and made some images that make me happy.
All the best,
Matt
On Friday morning Jim and I headed to Bok Tower Gardens. Once I had my gear set up, I got a big surprise: the Metabones Canon EF/EF-S Lens to Sony E Mount T Smart Adapter (Fifth Generation) that I had used quite successfully with my Sony a-1 and the Canon EF 180mm f/3.5L Macro USM lens for years for flowers, did not work with my a-1 ii. And my a-1 was on my desk at home. at first I thought of my cell phone, but quickly realized that with its fabulously short Minimum Focusing Distance (MFD), the Sony FE 70-200mm f/2.8 GM OSS II lens with either TC and the a-1 ii would be fine for larger flowers. Hand held at the wide open aperture. The next day I visited the Metabones website and learned that it is possible that the adapter might work with a firmware update. I could not, however, find anything definitive so I e-mailed customer support and will let you know what I find here soon.
After doing some flowers, I was in for a big surprise thanks to a very kind lady.
It was pouring here again on Saturday morning so I did not head down to the lake. It would have been the first morning in months that I had not photographed. But when the rain quit, I grabbed a tripod and the Metabones Canon EF/EF-S Lens to Sony E Adapter, the Canon EF 180mm f/3.5L Macro USM lens, and my a-1 and photographed some Firebush blossoms until it began to rain again.
Today is Sunday 1 June 2025. The forecast is for drizzle followed, not surprisingly, by mostly cloudy. As I have not been down to the lake in several days, I will be headed down early to check on the crane colts and the Black-bellied Whistling Ducks. Whatever you opt to do, I hope that you too choose to have a wonderful and productive day. Do remember that happiness is a choice — Byron Katie, The Work.Com.
If an item — a Delkin flash card or a Levered-clamp FlexShooter Pro — for example, that is available from B&H and/or Bedfords, is also available in the BAA Online Store, it would be great, and greatly appreciated, if you would opt to purchase from us. We will match any price. Please remember also to use my B&H affiliate links or to earn 3% cash back at Bedfords by using the BIRDSASART discount code at checkout for your major gear purchases. Doing either often earns you free guides and/or discounts. And always earns my great appreciation.
Don’t Just Shoot: Learn
To learn of the late-registration discounts and AirBnB availability for the Jacksonville Royal Terns with chicks and more extended IPT late June/early July, or If you are interested in changing your life and becoming a better photographer by joining me on an Extended IPT at Sebastian Inlet for Ospreys and more (SEPT 25 to NOV 24, 2025) or in San Diego for Pacific-race Brown Pelicans and more (JAN 6 to FEB 2, 2026), please e-mail for dates, rates, terms, and additional information. Or shoot me a text to 863-221-2372. Both offerings include options for shared AirBnB lodging and ground transportation during your stay.
BILD EXPO Presented by B&H
Why Attend? BIRDS AS ART Appearances, Speakers, Gear, Deals, and More!
I am pleased to announce that I will be doing portfolio reviews and four round table sessions at BILD this June. Here are the round table topics:
1- Systems, Lenses, and Camera Bodies for Bird Photography
2- Creating Sharp Bird Photographs
3- Bird Photography Hotspots
4- Creating Bird Photographs that depict Flight, Action, and Behavior
Stay tuned for a definitive schedule. I hope to see you there.
Bild Expo is back! Join us at The Javits Center in New York City for an unforgettable event featuring 100+ expert speakers, 250+ exhibitors, hands-on experiences, and the world’s greatest creative community. B&H’s incredible show specials will be the icing on the cake! Whether you’re a seasoned pro, an enthusiast, or a beginner, at Bild you will get inspired, learn, meet like-minded people, and celebrate being part of this amazing world of creativity.
Click here or on the logo link above for more information.
To ensure that I get credit for your B&H purchases, you can always click here. The tracking is invisible but greatly appreciated. And, you can use your PayBoo card. You must use the website to order. You cannot get your free guides if you make a phone order. Once you have an item in your cart, you must complete the order within two hours. Huge thanks!
Bedfords Simplified
Click here to start your search. Choose standard shipping, and when you get to the payment page, enter BIRDSASART in the discount code box and hit apply. You will be upgraded to free second day air Fed-Ex and receive 3% cash back on your credit card once your stuff ships. Either is greatly appreciated by yours truly.
B&H
Many folks have written recently stating that they purchased a Sony a1 from B&H and would like their free membership in the Sony 1 Info and Updates Group, a $150.00 value. But when I check my affiliate account, their orders have not been there. When I let them know that they get credit for B&H purchases only if they use one of the many B&H affiliate links on the blog or begin their searches with this link, they are always disappointed. If in doubt, please contact me via e-mail and request a BH link. I am always glad to help and to guide you to the right gear.
Bedfords Amazing BAA Discount Policy
Folks who have fallen in love with Bedfords can now use the BIRDSASART coupon code at checkout to enjoy a post-purchase, 3% off-statement credit (excluding taxes and shipping charges) on orders paid with a credit card. The 3% credit will be refunded to the card you used for your purchase. Be sure, also, to check the box for free shipping to enjoy free Second Day Air Fed-Ex. This offer does not apply to purchases of Classes, Gift Cards, prior purchases.
Visit the Bedfords website here, shoot Steve Elkins an e-mail, or text him on his cell phone at (479) 381-2592.
This image was created on 20 May 2025 at Bok Tower Gardens in Lake Wales, FL. I used the hand held Sony FE 70-200mm f/2.8 GM OSS II lens with the Sony FE 2x Teleconverter (at 400mm) and the Latest, Greatest Sony Flagship body, the -a-1 ii Mirrorless Camera. Multi-metering +1.0 stops in Shutter Priority mode with Exposure Compensation (EC) on the Thumb Dial. AUTO ISO set ISO 400: 1/500 sec. at f/5.6 (wide open). AWB.
Wide/AF-C with Bird-Eye/Face Detection performed perfectly. Click on the image to enjoy the high-res version.
Image #1: Sunflower (?) (species?) blossom
Creating Shade
Most flower photographs created in bright sun on not very good at all. On what was a (then-) mostly to partly sunny morning, I shaded the blossom with my torso, adjusted the exposure, and made a series of similar images knowing that I would almost surely be going to a square crop. If you can identify this flower, please leave a comment.
This image was created on 20 May 2025 at Bok Tower Gardens in Lake Wales, FL. I used the hand held Sony FE 70-200mm f/2.8 GM OSS II lens with the Sony FE 2x Teleconverter (at 400mm) and the Latest, Greatest Sony Flagship body, the -a-1 ii Mirrorless Camera. Multi-metering +1.0 stops in Shutter Priority mode with Exposure Compensation (EC) on the Thumb Dial. AUTO ISO set ISO 1600: 1/1000 sec. at f/5.6 (wide open). RawDigger showed that the exposure was dead-solid perfect. AWB.
Tracking: Spot XS/AF-C with Bird-Eye/Face Detection performed perfectly. Click on the image to enjoy the high-res version.
Image #2: Blanketflower blossom
Blanketflower
Though Blanketflower is a fairly common wildflower in central Florida, I have never had any great luck photographing this species. I created this image as a vertical and tried looking at it as a horizontal but it did not make sense to my brain so I went with the original format. There is one plant of this species in our butterfly garden next to the pool that has several buds so I will keep my eye out for a perfect blossom in the next week or so.
This image was created on 20 May 2025 at Bok Tower Gardens in Lake Wales, FL. I used the hand held Sony FE 70-200mm f/2.8 GM OSS II lens with the Sony FE 2x Teleconverter (at 370mm) and the Latest, Greatest Sony Flagship body, the -a-1 ii Mirrorless Camera. Multi-metering +0.7 stops in Shutter Priority mode with Exposure Compensation (EC) on the Thumb Dial. AUTO ISO set ISO 640: 1/250 sec. at f/5.6 (wide open). RawDigger showed that the exposure was dead-solid perfect. AWB.
Tracking: Spot XS/AF-C with Bird-Eye/Face Detection performed perfectly. Click on the image to enjoy the high-res version.
Image #3: wildflower (species?) blossom
No Clue on This One
Working with the 2X TC in place the trick of photographing flowers at Bok is always about finding an undamaged blossom out of the wind that can be easily isolated with a fairly clean distant background. This blossom checked all the boxes and the cloud cover made things easy.
Is this some type of coneflower? Any and all help would be appreciated.
This image was created on 20 May 2025 at Bok Tower Gardens in Lake Wales, FL. I used the hand held iPhone 15 Pro Max with the iPhone 15 Pro Max Back Triple Camera 2.22mm (focal length) Lens. ISO 40: 1/139 sec. at f/2.2.
Image #4: Tractor in open barn near the Children’s area
The Ramble Barn
The Ramble Barn at Bok Tower Gardens has an interesting display of old time farm implements and a neat old tractor in Hammock Hollow, the children’s garden. Before you scroll down, see if you can spot a bird in this image. Clue: look for the old-time wooden bucket.
This image was created on 20 May 2025 at Bok Tower Gardens in Lake Wales, FL. I used the hand held Sony FE 70-200mm f/2.8 GM OSS II lens (at 91mm) and the Latest, Greatest Sony Flagship body, the -a-1 ii Mirrorless Camera. Multi-metering +0.7 stops in Shutter Priority mode with Exposure Compensation (EC) on the Thumb Dial. AUTO ISO set ISO 640: 1/250 sec. at f/5.6 (stopped down 2 stops). RawDigger showed that the exposure was dead-solid perfect. AWB.
Tracking: Spot XS/AF-C with Bird-Eye/Face Detection performed perfectly. Click on the image to enjoy the high-res version.
Image #5: Eastern Screech Owl on old wooden bucket/old tool display
Huge Thanks
Huge thanks to the very nice lady with a short telephoto lens who pointed me to the tractor barn. From her initial description, I envisioned a huge, dark barn with the owl tucked in a corner about 50 feet above the ground. That until she showed me a nice vertical photo of the owl. “Is that zoomed in?” I asked. “No, it’s full frame” she answered. See you later!
Setting the Scene
After photographing the owl hand held with the 70-200 and the 2X TC, I removed the TC and zoomed out to create an image showing the old tools, the rafters, the bucket, and the owl.
This image was created on 20 May 2025 at Bok Tower Gardens in Lake Wales, FL. I used the hand held Sony FE 70-200mm f/2.8 GM OSS II lens with the Sony FE 2x Teleconverter (at 300mm) and the Latest, Greatest Sony Flagship body, the -a-1 ii Mirrorless Camera. The exposure was determined via Zebra technology with ISO on the thumb dial. ISO 1250: 1/60 sec. at f/5.6 (wide open) in Manual mode. RawDigger showed that the exposure was dead-solid perfect. AWB.
Wide/AF-C with Bird-Eye/Face Detection performed perfectly. Click on the image to enjoy the high-res version.
Image #6: Eastern Screech Owl on old wooden bucket
OSS
With the Optical Stabilization System activated both on the lens and the camera body (IBIS), I knew that making super sharp images at 300 or 400mm would be a snap. I was right.
Wide/AF-C with Bird-Eye/Face Detection performed perfectly. Click on the image to enjoy the high-res version.
Image #7: Eastern Screech Owl/head portrait
Going for the Head Shot
I headed back to the car to grab the 300mm f/2.8 lens and my tripod. When I got back, the owl was still sitting there. As it had gotten cloudier and darker, going with a fast shutter speed necessitated the use of a very high ISO. So I went down to 1/8 sec. at ISO 800, focused on the near eye, and utilized the 5- sec. self-timer. The owl cooperated by remaining completely still for every image.
Typos
With all blog posts, feel free to e-mail or to leave a comment regarding any typos or errors.
In the last blog post, Image #5 was the top choice (though very few folks commented). Dan Cadieux figured out two of the three images that had some significant Photoshop work done on them (though he did not see any evidence). I liked all of the images with #5 also my favorite, that followed by Image #4. I loved the neatly edged feathers of the juvie Ospreys. Only one person– thanks for trying, Elinor, took a shot at this rather softball question:
After checking the EXIF for Image #3, how do we know for sure that the bird in Image #2 was actually taking fight?
Answer: The EXIF shows that the two images were created in the same second at 7:05:38am.
What’s Up?
Early on Tuesday morning was gorgeous at ILE. The water in South of Pier Bay was like a mirror. A young Great Egret, an adult Snowy Egret, and a very handsome pied (admixed white and indigo blue feathering) juvenile Little Blue Heron that has been eluding me for weeks foraged in the still water bathed in butter light and accompanied by their perfect reflections. Five more Great Egrets and a Limpkin were perched on the pier railing. I put the 600 with the 2X on the BLUBB, stayed well back so as not to flush any of the birds, and pulled in close to the pier with the car angled at about 30°to get on sun angle for the juvie Little Blue. Then, every bird flew away as a pier-walking neighbor waved a friendly hello and said, “Good morning.” I wanted to reply, “It was till you came along” but I stifled the thought and drove away to looking for something to photograph.
After hearing that Clemens (Van der Werf) had had a great afternoon at DeSoto last week, I grabbed an AirBnB in St. Pete for two nights on a whim and Jim and I drove over on on Tuesday afternoon. I found the oystercatcher chicks easily but both chicks had been banded that morning 🙁 I walked north all the way to the inlet and saw pretty much nothing. Almost back to the car I came across a Least Tern fishing. It hovered right in front of me right down sun angle for five minutes as I created more than a thousand images. I really liked one and will share it with you here soon.
There were very few birds at DeSoto on Wednesday morning. The wind was supposed to be southeast (OK) but had already switched to southwest by sunrise (bad). I met Matt Milnes visiting from Georgia and we spent most of the morning together. Matt had kindly helped me with some ILE turtle nest questions a few years back. Out of desperation, we headed to my morning backup location where we found nothing as well. On our way back to the parking lot we came upon three White Ibises feeding in the shallow surf. One was quite bright red so we worked it for about twenty minutes. Realizing after that that I had I lost my prescription reading glasses somewhere near the Gulf, I headed back to North Beach to look for them. Matt kindly joined me to help, but we came up empty.
I made a rookie mistake on Wednesday afternoon. Having struck out the previous afternoon, I decided not to take my fanny pack with extra cards and batteries. So, of course, with a gorgeous breeding plumage Dunlin and a handsome Semipalmated Plover right in front of me, and a Reddish Egret dancing in the distance right down sun angle — all is sweet late afternoon light of course, the dreaded ‘card full” message popped up on the back of my a-1 ii. I filled the 160GB card. My Delkin Black 960GB CF Express A card accidentally wound up in the a-1 body that is sitting on my desk 🙁
Overlapping Sticks
The twigs and sticks that overlapped the handsome young Osprey really bugged me. Removing them with the Clone Stamp Tool is tedious work and the results are iffy at best. The relatively new Remove Tool is the way to go. The clean-up took some time and effort but the results are superb. Most of the time, the Remove Tool does a great job blending the surrounding areas. I was not happy with one spot that had turned the feather to mush so I painted a small Quick Mask of a feather tip and moved it into place to complete the repair.
If anyone can shed some Lightroom light on the Remove Tool please leave a comment. My understanding is that at best, it is difficult to access it (in LR).
Bump on the Perch
I did not care for the two chunks of wood that merged with the primaries of the Osprey’s far wing. I used the Divide and Conquer technique to separate the chunks into smaller, easier to eliminate sections. The free floating chunks were then removed using the Patch Tool. Those that abutted the wing feathers were easily removed via the Remove Tool as it is superb whenever edges are involved.
Bill Cleanup
You guessed it. The Remove Tool makes bill cleanup child’s play. All you need to do is work large. Here’s a high level tip for dealing with strips of specular highlights on a bird’s bill:
1- Complete your bill cleanup work without touching the strip of specular highlights.
2- Add a new layer.
3- Use one swipe of the Remove Tool and paint over the strip of specular highlights.
4- Now, reduce the Opacity of the top layer to taste, usually between 40 and 60%. You will still see the strip but it will be reduced in intensity.
The BIRDS AS ART Current Workflow e-Guide (Digital Basics II).
You can order your copy from the BAA Online Store here, by sending a PayPal for $40 here, or by calling Jim or Jennifer weekdays at 863-692-0906 with your credit card in hand. Be sure to specify Digital Basics II.
The BIRDS AS ART Current Workflow e-Guide (Digital Basics II)
The techniques mentioned above and tons more great Photoshop tips and techniques — along with my complete digital workflow, Digital Eye Doctor Techniques, and all my personalized Keyboard Shortcuts — are covered in detail in the BIRDS AS ART Current Workflow e-Guide (Digital Basics II), an instructional PDF that is sent via e-mail. Note: folks working on a PC and/or those who do not want to miss anything Photoshop may wish to purchase the original Digital Basics along with DB II while saving $15 by clicking here to buy the DB Bundle.
Please note: the Divide and Conquer technique was inadvertently omitted from DB II. It is detailed in a free excerpt in the blog post here.
Folks who learn well by following along rather than by reading can check out the complete collection of MP 4 Photoshop Tutorial Videos by clicking here. Note: most of the videos are now priced at an amazingly low $5.00 each.
You can learn how and why I converted all of my Canon digital RAW files in DPP 4 in the DPP 4 RAW Conversion Guide here. More recently, I became proficient at converting my Nikon RAW (NEF) files in Adobe Camera Raw. About three years ago I began converting my Nikon and Sony RAW files in Capture One and did that for two years. You can learn more about Capture One in the Capture One Pro 12 Simplified MP4 Video here. Today, I convert my Sony raw files in Photoshop with Adobe Camera Raw.
You can learn advanced Quick Masking and advanced Layer Masking techniques in APTATS I & II. You can save $15 by purchasing the pair.
The Digital Basics III Video Series
The Digital Basics III Video Series
I realized more than a year ago that my digital workflow had changed significantly and was toying with the idea of writing a Digital Basics III. More recently, I learned and begun working with two great new Photoshop Tools, the Remove Tool and the Luminance Targeted Adjustment Tool. The former is like a smarter Spot Healing Brush Tool on steroids and the latter is a step up from the fabulous Color Mixer Tool. During that same time frame, I came up with a new and improved 2-step noise reduction technique. I still use Divide and Conquer, Quick Masks, Layer Masks, an expanded array of personalized keyboard shortcuts, and tons of other stuff from both versions of Digital Basics.
As soon as I realized that I did not want to take on another large writing project, I realized that by creating a series of videos I could much more easily share all the details of my current digital workflow and much more easily incorporate additional new tips, techniques, and tools as I went. And so, The Digital Basics III Video Series was born.
You can save recipe all five videos in Volume I by clicking here. The videos will be most valuable for folks using the latest version of Photoshop (2024) or Lightroom along with Topaz DeNoise AI and Topaz Sharpen AI.
Preserving the Natural History Moment
Note that in each of the three images, the natural history moment depicted by the original raw files has been preserved. Each looks just a bit better and makes me a bit happier. Please remember that JIJO applies — junk in equals junk out.
Typos
With all blog posts, feel free to e-mail or to leave a comment regarding any typos or errors.
Which two of today’s seven featured images are your favorites? Why do you like each of them? I will share my top two picks with you here in the next post.
If you see any evidence of Photoshop foul play in one or more of today’s seven featured images, please identify them by Image # and state your evidence for each. By my standards, there are two that fit the category. Confessions in the next post.
In the Last Blog Post
In the last blog post, the main reason I drove up on the hill was to separate the duck’s head from the vegetation. Well done Bob Eastman. Learn more by reading my responses to the four comments here.
What’s Up?
Photographic opportunities at ILE continue to decline with the near complete absence of Black-bellied Whistling Ducks and the fact that the six or seven surviving crane colts get bigger every day and are spending lots of time foraging in inaccessible backyards. I still get out every morning. On Monday morning, I made some nice images of a handsome young Great Egret in a field of tickseed blossoms and solved a White Balance riddle that had been bugging me. I have seen only two young Ospreys in the seven nests along the lakeshore. Several Killdeer families are doing well and the pair that hatched three of four eggs by the bathrooms have laid two new eggs in the same nest, i.e., double clutching.
On Sunday morning past, Clemens Van der Werf and his Canon gear (and two cycling friends from Tampa) joined me for the morning on Lake Blue Cypress. Our main targets were the fledged and nearly-fledged juveniles; we had lots of good chances and had a great time as well. Clemens and Anita North are my two most talented (former) students. You can see Clemens’s eclectic work here and check out Anita’s great images on her IG page.
If you are in the a-1 Firmware Update Group or my a-1 ii Group and would like to receive my latest, updated CAMSET.DAT file, please shoot me an e-mail and LMK which you need. Speaking of my Sony Camera Users Groups, I got this nice e-mail from long-ago IPT veteran Keith Kennedy yesterday:
Artie,
Today I successfully loaded your latest CAMSET file to my new a-1 ii. I followed your explicit directions and the installation was flawless! Thank you so much for doing such a great job; it is very much appreciated.
Keith
Today is Tuesday 27 May 2025. I will be heading down to the lake early as usual. Whatever you opt to do, I hope that you too choose to have a wonderful and productive day. Do remember that happiness is a choice — Byron Katie, The Work.Com.
If an item — a Delkin flash card or a Levered-clamp FlexShooter Pro — for example, that is available from B&H and/or Bedfords, is also available in the BAA Online Store, it would be great, and greatly appreciated, if you would opt to purchase from us. We will match any price. Please remember also to use my B&H affiliate links or to earn 3% cash back at Bedfords by using the BIRDSASART discount code at checkout for your major gear purchases. Doing either often earns you free guides and/or discounts. And always earns my great appreciation.
Don’t Just Shoot: Learn
To learn of the late-registration discounts and AirBnB availability for the Jacksonsville Royal Terns with chicks and more extended IPT late June/early July, or If you are interested in changing your life and becoming a better photographer by joining me on an Extended IPT at Sebastian Inlet for Ospreys and more (SEPT 25 to NOV 24, 2025) or in San Diego for Pacific-race Brown Pelicans and more (JAN 6 to FEB 2, 2026), please e-mail for dates, rates, terms, and additional information. Or shoot me a text to 863-221-2372. Both offerings include options for shared AirBnB lodging and ground transportation during your stay.
BILD EXPO Presented by B&H
Why Attend? BIRDS AS ART Appearances, Speakers, Gear, Deals, and More!
I am pleased to announce that I will be doing portfolio reviews and four round table sessions at BILD this June. Here are the round table topics:
1- Systems, Lenses, and Camera Bodies for Bird Photography
2- Creating Sharp Bird Photographs
3- Bird Photography Hotspots
4- Creating Bird Photographs that depict Flight, Action, and Behavior
Stay tuned for a definitive schedule. I hope to see you there.
Bild Expo is back! Join us at The Javits Center in New York City for an unforgettable event featuring 100+ expert speakers, 250+ exhibitors, hands-on experiences, and the world’s greatest creative community. B&H’s incredible show specials will be the icing on the cake! Whether you’re a seasoned pro, an enthusiast, or a beginner, at Bild you will get inspired, learn, meet like-minded people, and celebrate being part of this amazing world of creativity.
Click here or on the logo link above for more information.
To ensure that I get credit for your B&H purchases, you can always click here. The tracking is invisible but greatly appreciated. And, you can use your PayBoo card. You must use the website to order. You cannot get your free guides if you make a phone order. Once you have an item in your cart, you must complete the order within two hours. Huge thanks!
Bedfords Simplified
Click here to start your search. Choose standard shipping, and when you get to the payment page, enter BIRDSASART in the discount code box and hit apply. You will be upgraded to free second day air Fed-Ex and receive 3% cash back on your credit card once your stuff ships. Either is greatly appreciated by yours truly.
B&H
Many folks have written recently stating that they purchased a Sony a1 from B&H and would like their free membership in the Sony 1 Info and Updates Group, a $150.00 value. But when I check my affiliate account, their orders have not been there. When I let them know that they get credit for B&H purchases only if they use one of the many B&H affiliate links on the blog or begin their searches with this link, they are always disappointed. If in doubt, please contact me via e-mail and request a BH link. I am always glad to help and to guide you to the right gear.
Bedfords Amazing BAA Discount Policy
Folks who have fallen in love with Bedfords can now use the BIRDSASART coupon code at checkout to enjoy a post-purchase, 3% off-statement credit (excluding taxes and shipping charges) on orders paid with a credit card. The 3% credit will be refunded to the card you used for your purchase. Be sure, also, to check the box for free shipping to enjoy free Second Day Air Fed-Ex. This offer does not apply to purchases of Classes, Gift Cards, prior purchases.
Visit the Bedfords website here, shoot Steve Elkins an e-mail, or text him on his cell phone at (479) 381-2592.
Gear Questions and Advice
Too many folks attending BAA IPTs and dozens of photographers whom I see in the field and on BPN, are — out of ignorance — using the wrong gear, especially when it comes to tripods and more especially, tripod heads. And the same is true in spades when ordering new camera bodies or lenses. My advice will often save you some serious money and may help you avoid making a seriously bad choice. Please know that I am always glad to answer your gear questions via e-mail. If you are desperate, you can try me on my cell at 863-221-2372. Please leave a message and shoot me a text if I do not pick up.
Sony Alpha 1 (a-1) Mirrorless Camera Body
Price reduced $100.00 on 26 May 2025
Multiple IPT veteran and longtime BAA friend Pat Fishburne is offering a rarely used Sony a-1 (ILCE-1) mirrorless camera body in excellent plus condition for a BIRDS AS ART record low $3198.00 (was $3,298.00). This body has been updated to Firmware 3.00 that reportedly improves Bird Face-Eye tracking to levels attained by the a1-ii. The camera has my latest a-1 set-up on it. The sale includes the current Buttons and Dials Guide and the Info Sheet, the original product box, one battery, the charger, the camera strap, and insured ground shipping via major courier to lower-48 US addresses only. Your item will not ship until your check clears unless other arrangements are made.
I used Sony a-1 bodies as my workhorse camera bodies for more than three years. They produce stunning 51MP files with vivid natural colors. The AF system is superb. They are rugged and dependable and 30 frames per second is nothing to sneeze at. With a brand new a-1 ii going for $6498.00, you can save an even $3200.00 by grabbing Pat’s nearly as good as new a- copy ASAP. Right now, B&H is offering a used Sony a-1 in the same condition, 9+, for $4,674.95 here. Don’t believe me? Click the link. Prices of some used gear items like the Sony a-1 are actually rising in anticipation of the coming tariff.
Used Induro GIT 505 XL Tripod Bargain
Price reduced $100.00 on 26 May 2025
Your truly, Arthur Morris/BIRDS AS ART, is offering a rarely used Induro Stealth GIT 505XXL in like new condition for $425 (was $525.00). This is the monster of all tripods. It offers maximum strength and rigidity and can support 88.2 pounds of gear with ease. It stands 81.3″ tall with the legs fully extended. It is perfect for folks desiring maximum stability in windy conditions, those working from a fixed position with very slow shutter speeds, and in situations where you need to get very tall such as when working a tree nest possibly while standing on a ladder. This is not a tripod that you want to be carrying around in the field unless you are Superman. The sale includes only the legs and insured ground shipping to your lower 48 address. Please contact artie via e-mail. I could not find a single one for sale anywhere in the world. I paid B&H $802.50 for it when purchased new in 2021.
This image was created on 25 May 2025 at Lake Blue Cypress, FL. Standing on a pontoon boat, I used the hand held Sony FE 400mm f/2.8 GM OSS Lens and The Latest Greatest Sony Flagship Body, the a1 II Mirrorless Camera. The exposure was determined via Zebras with ISO on the thumb dial. ISO 5000: 1/2500 sec. at f/2.8 (wide open) in Manual mode. RawDigger showed that the exposure was perfect. AWB at 6:39:39 ten minutes after a hazy, well-muted sunrise.
Tracking: Spot XS/AF-C with Bird Eye/Face Detection enabled performed perfectly. Click on the image to see a larger, sharper high resolution version
Image #1: Osprey — adult in flight
Image copyright 2025 Arthur Morris/BIRDS AS ART
Early on a Muted Sunrise Morning
As you make your way through this blog post, note my choice of rigs as the lighting conditions change. Early on, the sun was barely making it through a light fog bank to the east. In need of light, I grabbed the 400mm f/2.8 GM lens primarily for speed and, when compared to the lighter 300mm f/2.8 GM, for reach. I kept metering the white sky and adding 2 2/3 stops of light. Though ISO 5000 is not a favorite, it enabled me to create a decent image for web presentation. I used my usual double noise reduction technique on this image but switched from Low Light to Clear as the latter looked a lot better.
This image was also created on 25 May 2025 at Lake Blue Cypress, FL. Standing on a pontoon boat, I used the hand held Sony FE 400mm f/2.8 GM OSS Lens with the Sony FE 1.4x Teleconverter and The Latest Greatest Sony Flagship Body, the a1 II Mirrorless Camera. The exposure was determined via Zebras with ISO on the thumb dial. ISO 1250: 1/4000 sec. at f/4 (wide open) in Manual mode. RawDigger showed that the exposure was perfect. AWB at 7:05:38am on a sunny but haze morning.
Wide/AF-C with Bird Eye/Face Detection enabled performed perfectly. Click on the image to see a larger, sharper high resolution version
Image #2: Osprey — adult lifting off
Image copyright 2025 Arthur Morris/BIRDS AS ART
Once the Sun Brightened
It was still early — about 35 minutes after sunrise, once the sun fought its way through the fog. When it did, I had enough light to add the 1.4X TC to get to 560mm and 1/4000 sec. without having to go to a ridiculously high ISO. Looking at Image #2 alone, it looks as if the bird might simply be raising its wings. After checking the EXIF for Image $3, how do we know that the bird in Image #2 was actually taking fight?
In any case, score another one for Pre-capture.
This image was also created on 25 May 2025 at Lake Blue Cypress, FL. Standing on a pontoon boat, I used the hand held Sony FE 400mm f/2.8 GM OSS Lens with the Sony FE 1.4x Teleconverter and The Latest Greatest Sony Flagship Body, the a1 II Mirrorless Camera. The exposure was determined via Zebras with ISO on the thumb dial. ISO 1250: 1/4000 sec. at f/4 (wide open) in Manual mode. RawDigger showed that the exposure was perfect. AWB at 7:05:38am on a sunny but haze morning.
Wide/AF-C with Bird Eye/Face Detection enabled performed perfectly. Click on the image to see a larger, sharper high resolution version
Image #3: Osprey — adult having just taken flight
Image copyright 2025 Arthur Morris/BIRDS AS ART
Hand Holding the 400mm f/2.8 GM Lens
Even though the Sony 400mm f/2.8 GM lens is only 4 ounces lighter than the 600mm f/4 GM, I find it much easier to hand hold (albeit only for short periods for flight photography) than the 600. Why? It is physically smaller and with much of the weight to the rear of the lens, better balanced.
This image was also created on 25 May 2025 at Lake Blue Cypress, FL. Standing on a pontoon boat, I used the hand held Sony FE 400-800mm f/6.3-8 G OSS lens (Sony E) (at 760mm) and The Latest Greatest Sony Flagship Body, the a1 II Mirrorless Camera. The exposure was determined by Zebras with ISO on the rear wheel: ISO 2000: 1/3200 second at f/8 (wide open) in Manual mode. RawDigger showed that the exposure was dead solid perfect. AWB at 7:24:48am on a then sunny morning. Detection performed perfectly.
Wide AF-C with Bird Eye/Face Detection enabled performed perfectly. Click on the image to see a larger, sharper high resolution version
Image #4:Osprey — fresh juvenal plumage, calling
Images copyright 2025: Arthur Morris/BIRDS AS ART
As the Sun Approached Full Strength …
As the sun approached full strength, I put the 400 foot/2.8 away and grabbed the 400-800 for its versatility, its additional reach, its smaller size, and its lighter weight. It light years easier to hand hold the 4-8 than it is too hand hold the larger, heavier 600mm f/4 with the 1.4X TC added (to reach 840mm).
This image was also created on 25 May 2025 at Lake Blue Cypress, FL. Standing on a pontoon boat, I used the hand held Sony FE 400-800mm f/6.3-8 G OSS lens (Sony E) (at 730mm) and The Latest Greatest Sony Flagship Body, the a1 II Mirrorless Camera. The exposure was determined by Zebras with ISO on the rear wheel: ISO 2000: 1/4000 second at f/8 (wide open) in Manual mode. RawDigger showed that the exposure was dead solid perfect. AWB at 7:36:06am on a then sunny morning. Detection performed perfectly.
Wide AF-C with Bird Eye/Face Detection enabled performed perfectly. Click on the image to see a larger, sharper high resolution version
Image #5: Osprey — fresh juvenal plumage, on nest
Images copyright 2025: Arthur Morris/BIRDS AS ART
Positioning the Pontoon Boat
To get the green background, we directed Don, our skipper/guide, to position the boat so that the nest lined up with some distant trees. Such backgrounds, however, do not last forever as the boat drifts even in a light wind. Locals who wish to join me for a morning of In-the-Field Instruction on Lake Blue Cypress in early June with a wind from the east should contact me via e-mail.
This image was also created on 25 May 2025 at Lake Blue Cypress, FL. Standing on a pontoon boat, I used the hand held Sony FE 400-800mm f/6.3-8 G OSS lens (Sony E) (at 400mm) and The Latest Greatest Sony Flagship Body, the a1 II Mirrorless Camera. The exposure was determined by Zebras with ISO on the rear wheel: ISO 1250: 1/4000 second at f/8 (wide open) in Manual mode. RawDigger showed that the exposure was dead solid perfect. AWB at 7:41:16am on a then sunny morning. Detection performed perfectly.
Wide AF-C with Bird Eye/Face Detection enabled performed perfectly. Click on the image to see a larger, sharper high resolution version
Image #6: Osprey — fresh juvenal plumage, in flight
Images copyright 2025: Arthur Morris/BIRDS AS ART
400-800 Versatility
Being able to zoom out smoothly and quickly to 400mm saved the day with this flight image. I would never have come close to fitting the bird in the frame at 800mm. Remember that the size of the bird in the frame is a function of the square of the focal lengths; in this case, 64 to 16.
Canon RF 200-800mm f/6.3-9 IS USM Lens (Canon RF)
I have been wanting to get my hands on this lens since a guy took me to task with his comment at a YouTube video. I was a bit surprised when Clemens showed up with is brand new Canon RF 200-800mm f/6.3-9 IS USM Lens (Canon RF) at Lake Blue Cypress. I have previously referred to this lens as an abomination because it changes length dramatically when zoomed in or out. The zoom mechanism was a bit smoother than I expected (as compared the Canon RF 100-500). The Sony 400-800 requires about an 80° twist of the wrist to get from 400 to 800mm or back again. With the Canon 200-800, getting from the wide end to the short end requires about a 120° turn. It is, therefore, impossible to get from one end to the other with a single motion.
Clemens of course realizes the limitations while stating, “It’s all they’ve got, but it is very sharp.” At only $1899.00, the 200-800 is priced $1400.00 less than the Sony 400-800 at $3298.00. He has of course, made some great images with the lens at Fort DeSoto. Most of the time, however, he reverts to using his 600mm f/4 with at 1.4X TC on a tripod. He loves his Canon EOS R5 Mark II Mirrorless Camera.
This image was also created on 25 May 2025 at Lake Blue Cypress, FL. Standing on a pontoon boat, I used the hand held Sony FE 400-800mm f/6.3-8 G OSS lens (Sony E) (at 800mm) and The Latest Greatest Sony Flagship Body, the a1 II Mirrorless Camera. The exposure was determined by Zebras with ISO on the rear wheel: ISO 1600: 1/4000 second at f/8 (wide open) in Manual mode. RawDigger showed that the exposure was dead solid perfect. AWB at 8:10:19 am on a still sunny morning.
Wide AF-C with Bird Eye/Face Detection enabled performed perfectly. Click on the image to see a larger, sharper high resolution version
Image #7: Osprey — fresh juvenal plumage, tight face portrait
Images copyright 2025: Arthur Morris/BIRDS AS ART
400-800 Minimum Focusing Distance (MFD)
At 800mm, the Sony 400-800 focusing down to 11.5 feet. I was not much farther away than that when I created this image at a fortunately low nest.
The BIRDS AS ART SONY 400-800mm f/6.3-9 G Super-telephoto Zoom Lens Guide
When I borrowed this lens from Sony, I assumed that at 5.45 pounds it was too heavy to handhold for long and that at f/8 at the long end (800mm,) it was too slow for most bird photography applications. In short, I did not want to like the lens. After a month of using it, I cannot live without it. After returning the loaner, I was miraculously able to get my own from Bedfords on 16 April 2025. In this guide I share everything that I have learned about using the 400-800. For best results, you need to know exactly what you are doing to get the most out of this zoom lens. It would be best, therefore, to consider and study the material in the guide so that you can begin making great images with your new lens.
You will learn how to deal with the relatively show apertures: f/6.3, f/7.1, and f/8 when working in Manual mode.
You will learn how to ensure that you are working at the widest aperture by working in Shutter Priority mode with AUTO ISO.
If you are able to hand hold the lens, you will learn proper hand holding techniques.
If you can’t, you will learn when, why, and how to employ other options. Those include:
1- The knee-pod, heel-pod, and toe-pod techniques
2- Using the lens on a monopod.
3- The best lens plate for your 4-8.
4- The best tripod and head for the 4-8 and how best to utilize them.
5- How to use the lens from your vehicle while supporting it on a BLUBB (or not and why not).
6- Detailed instructions on how to set and use the lens controls and buttons:
a- AF/MF
b- DMF Switch
c- Limit Range Switch
d- OSS (Optical Steady Shot) Switch
e- OSS Mode Switch
f- Focus Hold Buttons
The guide also includes a Hand Holding Shutter Speed Primer and an illustrative, educational, and inspiring image gallery.
Free to folks who use one of my two affiliate links to purchase their Sony 400-800 G lens. Otherwise, please send a PayPal for $115.43 to birdsasart@verizon.net and include the words “400-800 Lens Guide” in your e-mail.
Typos
With all blog posts, feel free to e-mail or to leave a comment regarding any typos or errors.
About a week ago, I had three Greater Yellowlegs fly in left of the pier as I was driving away 🙁 I had never seen even one before. On Tuesday and Wednesday, a first-ever Sanderling visited the beach left of the pier, SOP (South of Pier) Bay. It has been difficult to keep track of the crane colts as some of the families are beginning to disperse. I am pretty sure that at least seven of the 12 chicks that hatched this season are doing well.
While clearing space on my laptop, I checked my ILE folders from last spring and learned that I was right: good sized flocks of Black-bellied Whistling Ducks were present until early July. They have been very scarce for the past two weeks but I did have some good flight chances when a small group flew in at about 7:30am on Friday morning.
Today is Saturday 24 May 2025 and I will be heading down to the lake early as is usual when I am home. Whatever you opt to do, I hope that you too choose to have a wonderful and productive day. Do remember that happiness is a choice — Byron Katie, The Work.Com.
If an item — a Delkin flash card or a Levered-clamp FlexShooter Pro — for example, that is available from B&H and/or Bedfords, is also available in the BAA Online Store, it would be great, and greatly appreciated, if you would opt to purchase from us. We will match any price. Please remember also to use my B&H affiliate links or to earn 3% cash back at Bedfords by using the BIRDSASART discount code at checkout for your major gear purchases. Doing either often earns you free guides and/or discounts. And always earns my great appreciation.
Don’t Just Shoot: Learn
To learn of the late-registration discounts and AirrBnB availability for the Jackonsville Royal Terns with chicks and more extended IPT late June/early Julyl, or If you are interested in changing your life and becoming a better photographer by joining me on an Extended IPT at Sebastian Inlet for Ospreys and more (SEPT 25 to NOV 24, 2025) or in San Diego for Pacific-race Brown Pelicans and more (JAN 6 to FEB 2, 2026), please e-mail for dates, rates, terms, and additional information. Or shoot me a text to 863-221-2372. Both offerings include options for shared AirBnB lodging and ground transportation during your stay.
BILD EXPO Presented by B&H
Why Attend? BIRDS AS ART Appearances, Speakers, Gear, Deals, and More!
I am pleased to announce that I will be doing portfolio reviews and four round table sessions at BILD this June. Here are the round table topics:
1- Systems, Lenses, and Camera Bodies for Bird Photography
2- Creating Sharp Bird Photographs
3- Bird Photography Hotspots
4- Creating Bird Photographs that depict Flight, Action, and Behavior
Stay tuned for a definitive schedule. I hope to see you there.
Bild Expo is back! Join us at The Javits Center in New York City for an unforgettable event featuring 100+ expert speakers, 250+ exhibitors, hands-on experiences, and the world’s greatest creative community. B&H’s incredible show specials will be the icing on the cake! Whether you’re a seasoned pro, an enthusiast, or a beginner, at Bild you will get inspired, learn, meet like-minded people, and celebrate being part of this amazing world of creativity.
Click here or on the logo link above for more information.
To ensure that I get credit for your B&H purchases, you can always click here. The tracking is invisible but greatly appreciated. And, you can use your PayBoo card. You must use the website to order. You cannot get your free guides if you make a phone order. Once you have an item in your cart, you must complete the order within two hours. Huge thanks!
Bedfords Simplified
Click here to start your search. Choose standard shipping, and when you get to the payment page, enter BIRDSASART in the discount code box and hit apply. You will be upgraded to free second day air Fed-Ex and receive 3% cash back on your credit card once your stuff ships. Either is greatly appreciated by yours truly.
B&H
Many folks have written recently stating that they purchased a Sony a1 from B&H and would like their free membership in the Sony 1 Info and Updates Group, a $150.00 value. But when I check my affiliate account, their orders have not been there. When I let them know that they get credit for B&H purchases only if they use one of the many B&H affiliate links on the blog or begin their searches with this link, they are always disappointed. If in doubt, please contact me via e-mail and request a BH link. I am always glad to help and to guide you to the right gear.
Bedfords Amazing BAA Discount Policy
Folks who have fallen in love with Bedfords can now use the BIRDSASART coupon code at checkout to enjoy a post-purchase, 3% off-statement credit (excluding taxes and shipping charges) on orders paid with a credit card. The 3% credit will be refunded to the card you used for your purchase. Be sure, also, to check the box for free shipping to enjoy free Second Day Air Fed-Ex. This offer does not apply to purchases of Classes, Gift Cards, prior purchases.
Visit the Bedfords website here, shoot Steve Elkins an e-mail, or text him on his cell phone at (479) 381-2592.
Gear Questions and Advice
Too many folks attending BAA IPTs and dozens of photographers whom I see in the field and on BPN, are — out of ignorance — using the wrong gear, especially when it comes to tripods and more especially, tripod heads. And the same is true in spades when ordering new camera bodies or lenses. My advice will often save you some serious money and may help you avoid making a seriously bad choice. Please know that I am always glad to answer your gear questions via e-mail. If you are desperate, you can try me on my cell at 863-221-2372. Please leave a message and shoot me a text if I do not pick up.
These two images were created on 21 May 2025 down by the lake near my home at Indian Lake Estates, FL. Working from the driver’s seat of my SUV, I used the BLUBB-supported/hand held Sony FE 400-800mm f/6.3-8 G OSS lens (Sony E) (at 476mm) and The Latest Greatest Sony Flagship Body, the a1 II Mirrorless Camera. The exposure was determined by Zebras with ISO on the rear wheel: ISO 1600: 1/1250 second at f/7.1 (wide open) in Manual mode. RawDigger showed that the exposure was dead solid perfect.
Top image: AWB at 7:10:22am on a windless, hazy, sunny morning. Tracking: Spot XS AF/C with Bird-Eye/Face Detection performed perfectly
Bottom image: AWB at 7:10:27am on a windless, hazy, sunny morning. Manual focus
Click on the composite to better be able to read the fine print
Image #1:The two raw files for the Black-bellied Whistling Duck stitched pano below
Images copyright 2025: Arthur Morris/BIRDS AS ART
Creating a 2-Frame Stitched Panorama with a Super Telephoto or Super-telephoto Zoom Lens
1- Visualize the image.
2- Set the exposure in Manual mode.
3- If using a zoom lens, zoom to the desired focal length.
4- Create the frame with the bird in it with autofocus active, i.e., turned on. Note that for frame _DSC6105 I used the joystick to move the AF point to cover the bird.
5- Being careful not to change anything, move the AF switch to Off, reframe, and create the second image after allowing for 15% or so overlap.
6- Use your post processing skills to bring the two images together seamlessly. As below.
Note: this is a lot easier to do when you are on using a zoom lens on a tripod than when hand holding or working on a BLUBB- as there is less chance of changing the focal length when you move the AF switch to go to Manual focus. The added advantage of being on a tripod is that it is much easier to keep the lens square to the world when you pan.
These two images were created on 21 May 2025 down by the lake near my home at Indian Lake Estates, FL. Working from the driver’s seat of my SUV, I used the BLUBB-supported/hand held Sony FE 400-800mm f/6.3-8 G OSS lens (Sony E) (at 476mm) and The Latest Greatest Sony Flagship Body, the a1 II Mirrorless Camera. The exposure was determined by Zebras with ISO on the rear wheel: ISO 1600: 1/1250 second at f/7.1 (wide open) in Manual mode. RawDigger showed that the exposure was dead solid perfect.
Top image: AWB at 7:10:22am on a windless, hazy, sunny morning. Tracking: Spot XS AF/C with Bird-Eye/Face Detection performed perfectly.
Bottom image: AWB at 7:10:27am on a windless, hazy, sunny morning. Manual focus.
Click on the image to view the larger, inexplicably sharper high res version
Image #2: Black-bellied Whistling Duck stitched pano
Images copyright 2025: Arthur Morris/BIRDS AS ART
Elevation Question
When I visualized this two-frame stitched pano, my vehicle was on the beach. Fortunately, there is a small hill, perhaps 10 or 12 feet high, behind the bathroom building near the parking circle. Most conveniently, the hill was right on sun angle. What is the main reason that I drove to the top of the hill to create the two images that I needed to create the stitched panorama?
Note: I could have grabbed the 70-200, made a single image, and cropped to a pano? I did not that for two closely related reasons:
1- to get a lot more pixels on the subject.
2- to create a much larger image file.
Typos
With all blog posts, feel free to e-mail or to leave a comment regarding any typos or errors.
Sony FE 50-150mm f/2 GM Lens (Sony E) in Stock Tomorrow at Bedfords
Order your copy of this super-fast zoom lens right now from Bedfords by clicking here and be sure to add the BIRDSASART discount code at checkout to get 3% back on your credit card and free second day air FedEx shipping. It will show as a back order but Steve assured me that you will get yours this week.
High-Speed Portrait Zoom
Uniquely fast and versatile, the Sony FE 50-150mm f/2 GM Lens (Sony E) is a normal- to short-telephoto zoom distinguished by its impressively bright f/2 constant maximum aperture. Ideal for portraiture, weddings, events, and indoor and close-range sports, this lens is also a good choice for photographers and videographers looking to replace a handful of primes with a single fast zoom without sacrificing on speed.
G Master Performance
Sony’s G Master designation is reserved for its highest performing optics, those that offer the greatest sharpness, smoothest bokeh, utmost speed, and best overall performance. This 50-150mm f/2 checks all of these boxes as it sets out to be a single lens replacement for several primes.
Constant f/2 maximum aperture is a full stop faster than an f/2.8 lens, helping this zoom to further excel in low-light conditions and offering even greater control over depth of field and subject-background separation.
XA, Super ED, aspherical, and ED elements yield high sharpness and smooth rendering that suits subjects ranging from architecture and landscape to portraiture and weddings.
Internal focusing design promotes quicker focusing speeds and maintains the lens length during use.
Internal zoom maintains the overall length of the lens during operation, as well as keeps a consistent center of gravity for easier use on a gimbal or tripod.
Crane Colt Picking Your Keepers by Arthur Morris/BIRDS AS ART
A handsome Sandhill Crane colt posed for almost two minutes while I created about 180 very similar photos. In this very short video check out six of my favorite keepers and learn why I deleted three and why I kept three To learn how to add or subtract color to your backgrounds by changing your elevation, keep reading below.
Your Call?
Which is the stronger of today’s two featured images? Why did you make your choice?
This image was created on 20 May 2025 down by the lake near my home at Indian Lake Estates, FL. Standing at full height, I used the hand held Sony FE 400-800mm f/6.3-8 G OSS lens (Sony E) (at 400mm) and The Latest Greatest Sony Flagship Body, the a1 II Mirrorless Camera. The exposure was determined by Zebras with ISO on the rear wheel: ISO 2500: 1/800 second at f/8 (wide open) in Manual mode. RawDigger showed that the exposure was perfect. AWB at 7:18:32am on a then windless, hazy, sunny morning.
Wide AF/C with Bird-Eye/Face Detection performed perfectly. Click on the image to enjoy an inexplicably sharper high-res version.
Image #1: Sandhill Crane colt about 8 weeks old with bill open; all sky background
Image copyright 2025: Arthur Morris/BIRDS AS ART
Sky Background
I made my way down the gentle slope that abuts the South Canal. The curious colt — the surviving sibling from the Middle Pair, — walked right up to me and posed. I stayed low to get the sky background. Notice in EXIF for each image in the YouTube video that after the first two frames that I kept I stopped down one full stop from f/8 to f/11. Why? Because I was quite close to the bird and wanted a bit of extra depth of field.
This image was created on 20 May 2025 down by the lake near my home at Indian Lake Estates, FL. Standing at full height, I used the hand held Sony FE 400-800mm f/6.3-8 G OSS lens (Sony E) (at 400mm) and The Latest Greatest Sony Flagship Body, the a1 II Mirrorless Camera. The exposure was determined by Zebras with ISO on the rear wheel: ISO 2500: 1/800 second at f/11 (stopped down one stop) in Manual mode. RawDigger showed that the exposure was dead solid perfect. AWB at 7:19:06am on a then windless, hazy, sunny morning.
Wide AF/C with Bird-Eye/Face Detection performed perfectly. Click on the image to enjoy an inexplicably sharper high-res version.
Image #2: Sandhill Crane colt about 8 weeks old; marsh added to lower background
Image copyright 2025: Arthur Morris/BIRDS AS ART
Add Green Whenever Possible
To add some of the distant green marsh to the bottom of the frame, I simply took one small step up the slope. I changed the elevation to change the background, in this case, by adding green. In short, I got higher to add color below.
Depth of Field Question
Considering the fact that I was working at f/11, why is the marsh so pleasingly smooth and defocused?
This image was created on 15 May 2025 by Mishael Voison during an In-the-Field session at Fort DeSoto Park, Tierra Verde, FL. Standing at full height, he used the hand held Canon RF 400mm f/2.8 L IS USM Lens with the Canon Extender RF 2x and the Canon EOS R5 Mark II Mirrorless Camera. ISO 1000; 1/4000 second at f/6.3 (stopped down 1/3 stop) in Manual mode. RawDigger showed that the exposure was perfect. AWB at 7:53:31am on a variably sunny morning.
Whole Area AF with Animal Detection.
Image #3: Great Egret bird of the year
Image courtesy of and copyright 2025: Mishael Voison
Image optimization by Arthur Morris/BIRDS AS ART
The Answer to the Important Question for Misha and for You
In the previous blog post, I wrote:
Misha was standing at full hight when he created this image. What should he have done to gotten more of the beautiful blue water in the frame?
Only a single reader, newcomer Alessio V. Pelella, took a stab at the question but was initially off target with his reply. With Image #2, above, I wrote, I changed the elevation to change the background, in this case, by adding green. In short, I got higher to add color below. With Misha’s image, the converse applied. To add more blue, he need to change elevation to change the background; but since the color he was after was above the bird, he needed to get lower to add the blue color above.
So, all that Misha needed to do was to get a bit lower by crouching. Though this seems like a very simple principle, many beginning and intermediate photographers struggle to understand and apply it. On a related note, the image would have been stronger if he had placed the subject higher in the frame thus eliminating some of the negative space above the subject.
As a general rule, getting lower will move the background farther from the subject thus rendering it more defocused and more pleasing. That principle, however, was not relevant to any of today’s featured images.
Typos
With all blog posts, feel free to e-mail or to leave a comment regarding any typos or errors.
A DeSoto Morning with the Sony 400-800 & the a-1 II By Arthur Morris/BIRDS AS ART
I did not want to like the Sony 400-800 when I borrowed one from Sony to try at Stick Marsh. It was too heavy at 5.45 pounds and too slow at f/8 at the long end. Instead, I fell in love with its incredible versatility and reach. Check out the Bird Face-Eye accuracy and the befores and afters of my favorites from that morning in this short video. Heck, by DeSoto standards, it was a pretty poor morning. And be sure to learn more about the creation of each image and see three of Mishael Voison’s three fine Canon photos from that same morning below.
Sony Alpha 1 (a-1) Mirrorless Camera Body
Multiple IPT veteran and long time BAA friend Pat Fishburne is offering a rarely used Sony a-1 (ILCE-1) mirrorless camera body in excellent plus condition for a BIRDS AS ART record low $3,298.00. This body has been updated to Firmware 3.00 that reportedly improves Bird Face-Eye tracking to levels attained by the a1-ii. The camera has my latest a-1 set-up on it. The sale includes the current Buttons and Dials Guide and the Info Sheet, the original product box, one battery, the charger, the camera strap, and insured ground shipping via major courier to lower-48 US addresses only. Your item will not ship until your check clears unless other arrangements are made.
I used Sony a-1 bodies as my workhorse camera bodies for more than three years. They produce stunning 51MP files with vivid natural colors. The AF system is superb. They are rugged and dependable and 30 frames per second is nothing to sneeze at. With a brand new a-1 ii going for $6498.00, you can save an even $3200.00 by grabbing Pat’s nearly as good as new a- copy ASAP. Right now, B&H is offering a used Sony a-1 in the same condition, 9+, for $4,674.95 here. Don’t believe me? Click the link. Prices of some used gear items like the Sony a-1 are actually rising in anticipation of the coming tariff.
I-Phone image
artie and Misha leaving DeSoto after a morning of sun and fun and learning
Image copyright 2025: Mishael Voison
Misha and artie
We had a fun week and enjoyed lots of good chances. Misha sent me this text on his drive to Miami: Hey Art,Thank you so much for the invitation to come to ILE, your hospitality, and persistent coaching. I’ve learnt so much in these past 4 days it’s amazing! Can’t wait to meet up again. In the meantime God bless and keep you my brother. Much love, Mishael
This image was created on 15 May 2025 at Fort DeSoto Park, Tierra Verde, FL. Standing at full height, I used the hand held Sony FE 400-800mm f/6.3-8 G OSS lens (Sony E) (at 670mm) and The Latest Greatest Sony Flagship Body, the a1 II Mirrorless Camera. The exposure was determined by Zebras with ISO on the rear wheel: ISO 2500: 1/2500 second at f/8 (wide open) in Manual mode. RawDigger showed that the exposure was dead solid perfect. AWB at 7:19:06am on a then windless sunny morning.
Wide AF/C with Bird-Eye/Face Detection performed perfectly. Click on the image to enjoy the larger, inexplicably sharper high-res version.
Image #1: Winter plumage Willet with its reflection
Image copyright 2025: Arthur Morris/BIRDS AS ART
The Very First Image of the Day
As we approached some shorebirds feeding on a shallow flat, I noted a Willet standing in still water with a nice reflection. As I had set up for a white bird in flight (just to be ready for anything) I simply reduced my shutter speed by 1/3 stop and made this image before getting down on the ground. It is rare that the very first frame of the day is a keeper but that was the case here as this one featured the best framing.
This image also was created on 15 May 2025 at Fort DeSoto Park, Tierra Verde, FL. Seated on damp sand, I used the knee-pod technique with the hand held Sony FE 400-800mm f/6.3-8 G OSS lens (Sony E) (at 800mm) and The Latest Greatest Sony Flagship Body, the a1 II Mirrorless Camera. The exposure was determined by Zebras with ISO on the rear wheel: ISO 2500: 1/2000 second at f/8 (wide open) in Manual mode. RawDigger showed that the exposure was dead solid perfect. AWB at 7:22:44am on a then windless sunny morning.
Wide AF/C with Bird-Eye/Face Detection performed perfectly. Click on the image to enjoy the larger, inexplicably sharper high-res version.
Image #2: Dunlin molting into breeding plumage foraging for invertebrates
Image copyright 2025: Arthur Morris/BIRDS AS ART
Tips on Shooting Feeding Shorebirds in Still Water for Misha and for You
1- Get low.
2- Aquire focus.
3- Keep the bird up in the frame so as to include the whole reflection.
4- When the bird is relatively square to the back of the camera press and hold the shutter button and hope for the best. If you wait to see the perfect shot you will have missed it.
Image #2A: Unsharpened 100% Crop of the Dunlin molting into breeding plumage foraging for invertebrates image
Image copyright 2025: Arthur Morris/BIRDS AS ART
Cripsy Eye Skins
When your feeding shorebirds images feature crisp, sharply focused eye skins you know that you are focusing accurately, have a sharp lens, and are using a fast enough shutter speed.
This image also was created on 15 May 2025 at Fort DeSoto Park, Tierra Verde, FL. Seated on dry sand, I used the knee-pod technique with the hand held Sony FE 400-800mm f/6.3-8 G OSS lens (Sony E) (at 674mm) and The Latest Greatest Sony Flagship Body, the a1 II Mirrorless Camera. The exposure was determined by Zebras with ISO on the rear wheel: ISO 2000: 1/3200 second at f/8 (wide open) in Manual mode. RawDigger showed that the exposure was dead solid perfect. AWB at 7:37:17am on a sunny morning.
Wide AF/C with Bird-Eye/Face Detection performed perfectly. Click on the image to enjoy the larger, inexplicably sharper high-res version.
Image #3: Ruddy Turnstone male in breeding plumage with tiny bivalve (mollusk)
Image copyright 2025: Arthur Morris/BIRDS AS ART
Good Foot/Bad Foot
Misha, just to my right, created an almost identical frame of this bird at this exact instant. This handsome turnstone was missing a toe or two on its right foot so we were lucky that the bad foot was partially buried in the wet sand while the good foot was nicely raised.
This image also was created on 15 May 2025 at Fort DeSoto Park, Tierra Verde, FL. Standing at full height, I used the hand held Sony FE 400-800mm f/6.3-8 G OSS lens (Sony E) (at 689mm) and The Latest Greatest Sony Flagship Body, the a1 II Mirrorless Camera. The exposure was determined by Zebras with ISO on the rear wheel: ISO 1600: 1/4000 second at f/8 (wide open) in Manual mode. RawDigger showed that the exposure was perfect. AWB at 7:43:03am on a sunny morning.
Wide AF/C with Bird-Eye/Face Detection performed perfectly. Click on the image to enjoy the larger, inexplicably sharper high-res version.
Image #4: Snowy Egret in flight
Image copyright 2025: Arthur Morris/BIRDS AS ART
Tight Flight Shots
If a flight shot is exceptionally sharp on the eye but I have badly clipped a wing, I will always look for a pleasing crop. Such images show more detail than a flight image with the whole bird in the frame.
This image was created on 15 May 2025 by Mishael Voison during an In-the-Field session at Fort DeSoto Park, Tierra Verde, FL. Standing at full height, he used the hand held Canon RF 400mm f/2.8 L IS USM Lens with the Canon Extender RF 2x and the Canon EOS R5 Mark II Mirrorless Camera. ISO 1000; 1/4000 second at f/6.3 (stopped down 1/3 stop) in Manual mode. RawDigger showed that the exposure was perfect. AWB at 7:53:31am on a variably sunny morning.
Whole Area AF with Animal Detection.
Image #5: Great Egret bird of the year
Image courtesy of and copyright 2025: Mishael Voison
Image optimization by Arthur Morris/BIRDS AS ART
An Important Question for Misha and for You
Misha was standing at full hight when he created this image. What should he have done to gotten more of the beautiful blue water in the frame?
This image also was created on 15 May 2025 at Fort DeSoto Park, Tierra Verde, FL. Seated on damp sand I employed the toe-pod technique with the hand held Sony FE 400-800mm f/6.3-8 G OSS lens (Sony E) (at 544mm) and The Latest Greatest Sony Flagship Body, the a1 II Mirrorless Camera. The exposure was determined by Zebras with ISO on the rear wheel: ISO 1600: 1/3200 second at f/8 (wide open) in Manual mode. RawDigger showed that the exposure was dead solid perfect. AWB at 8:26:18am on a sunny morning.
Wide AF/C with Bird-Eye/Face Detection performed perfectly. Click on the image to enjoy the larger, inexplicably sharper high-res version.
Image #6: Reddish Egret catching silversides
Image copyright 2025: Arthur Morris/BIRDS AS ART
Failure to Zoom In
Using the toe-pod technique to photograph this bird dancing with raised wings I was zoomed out to between 500 and 600mm for almost every frame. Image #6 is a large crop. Had I zoomed in to 800mm I would have had a lot more pixels on the subject.
This image was created on 15 May 2025 during an In-the-Field session at Fort Desoto Park, Tierra Verde, FL by Mishael Voison. Seated on damp sand, he used the hand held Canon RF 400mm f/2.8 L IS USM Lens with the Canon EOS R5 Mark II Mirrorless Camera. ISO 500; 1/4000 second at f/4 (stopped down one stop) in Manual mode. RawDigger showed that the exposure was perfect. AWB at 8:33:53am on a sunny morning.
Whole Area AF with Animal Detection.
Image #7: Reddish Egret basic plumage dancing
Image courtesy of and copyright 2025: Mishael Voison
Image optimization by Arthur Morris/BIRDS AS ART
Score One for Misha and Canon
I was quite impressed with the autofocus system of the R5 II; while reviewing Misha’s dancing Reddish Egret images, pretty much every one was sharp on the bird’s eye or eyes. When he joined me for a day at Stick Marsh in April, he was not even aware of sun angle. But he is obviously a quick learner and he nailed this one just to the right of perfect — note the bit of a shadow on the right on the bird’s upper neck.
This image also was created on 15 May 2025 at Fort DeSoto Park, Tierra Verde, FL. Crouching a bit, I used the hand held Sony FE 400-800mm f/6.3-8 G OSS lens (Sony E) (at 800mm) and The Latest Greatest Sony Flagship Body, the a1 II Mirrorless Camera. The exposure was determined by Zebras with ISO on the rear wheel: ISO 2000: 1/4000 second at f/8 (wide open) in Manual mode. RawDigger showed that the exposure was dead solid perfect. AWB at 8:26:18am on a sunny morning.
Wide AF/C with Bird-Eye/Face Detection performed perfectly. Click on the image to enjoy the larger, inexplicably sharper high-res version.
Image #8: Reddish Egret basic plumage eyeing baitfish — head and neck vertical portrait
Image copyright 2025: Arthur Morris/BIRDS AS ART
What You Do Not Want to See If You are a Baitfish
If you are a baitfish swimming along peacefully you do not want to look up and see a Reddish Egret looking down right at you with a hungry look in its eyes.
This image was created on 15 May 2025 during an In-the-Field session at Fort Desoto Park, Tierra Verde, FL by Mishael Voison. Kneeing on dry sand, he used the hand held Canon RF 400mm f/2.8 L IS USM Lens with the Canon EOS R5 Mark II Mirrorless Camera. ISO 100; 1/4000 second at f/2.8 (wide open) in Manual mode. RawDigger showed that the exposure was dead solid perfect. AWB at 9:19:32am on a sunny morning.
Whole Area AF with Animal Detection.
Image #9: White Ibis grabbing mole crab in surf
Image courtesy of and copyright 2025: Mishael Voison
Image optimization by Arthur Morris/BIRDS AS ART
When the Light is Bright …
When the light is bright, get low and work right on sun angle. The tighter the better. This image was made nearly 2 1/2 hours after sunrise on a clear sunny day yet the light looks just fine. Nice job Misha! And great timing getting the mole crab in midair.
This image also was created on 15 May 2025 at Fort DeSoto Park, Tierra Verde, FL. Seated on very wet sand, I used the hand held Sony FE 400-800mm f/6.3-8 G OSS lens (Sony E) (at 705mm) and The Latest Greatest Sony Flagship Body, the a1 II Mirrorless Camera. The exposure was determined by Zebras with ISO on the rear wheel: ISO 1250: 1/500 second at f/8 (wide open) in Manual mode. RawDigger showed that the exposure was dead solid perfect. AWB at 9:26:28am in the shade on a sunny morning.
Wide AF/C with Bird-Eye/Face Detection performed perfectly. Click on the image to enjoy the larger, inexplicably sharper high-res version.
Image #10: Snowy Egret hunting in the shade of a pier
Image copyright 2025: Arthur Morris/BIRDS AS ART
Subject in Shade, Background in Sun
Learn where I found shade at the beach on a bright sunny day in the YouTube video above. White subjects in the shade with the background in bright sun presents a difficult exposure challenge. With Sony it was easy by going for lots of Zebras on the background.
Typos
With all blog posts, feel free to e-mail or to leave a comment regarding any typos or errors.
On a perfectly clear and sunny morning, the 400-800 was superb at Fort DeSoto on Thursday. I continue to be astounded by the sharpness of this G lens, the accuracy of the AF system with Bird Face-Eye enabled, and its incredible versatility — especially with a dancing Reddish Egret that we photographed for nearly an hour; every single image was sharp on the eye despite the birds unpredictable gyrations. Mishael was using his Canon RF 400mm f/2.8 and had to change or remove teleconverter seemingly every few minutes as the bird cavorted near and far. That while I simply zoomed in and out quickly. At the long end, the 4-8 was deadly on foraging shorebirds. I am more convinced than ever that this lens can be a life-changer for folks who cannot afford $11 to $13K or do not want to lug around a tripod and a fast super-telephoto lens like a 400mm f/2.8 or a 600mm f/4.
What’s Up?
On Wednesday morning past Mishael and I fed the big catfish that had been dropped out of a tree by one of the local young Bald Eagles to the local vultures. They made short work of it. The fish had been residing in my freezer for the past ten days. We did some crane colts and some Black-bellied Whistling Ducks as well. That evening, we worked the 3-day old killdeer chicks from my SUV at 1200mm. On a very sad note, we were checking out crane resting on the grass colt just before sunset on Wednesday. When the bird, about eight weeks old, stood up, we were aghast; it’s right wing was hanging down and dragging on the ground, it had been almost completely ripped off. As the colt was too young to fly, the injury could not have come from flying into an overhead wire. Bald Eagle? Bobcat? Coyote? Florida Panther? Dog? Did I miss a possibly? We will never know.
On a whim, we woke early and headed over to Fort DeSoto Park early on Thursday morning. It’s a good thing that there were very few birds there as we made more than 11,000 photos between us (3782 for me). (See the lead item above for more on our DeSoto visit).
On the way home we stopped at Jack’s Skyway Restaurant in St. Pete for some yummy, down-home omelettes. Huge thanks to Mishael for getting us there and back safely while I worked on my laptop; he drove all the way, both ways! I finished editing the flight guide and added several dozen images. It now tips the scales at 243 pages with 166 inspirational images each with an educational caption. I’ll be sending the Word file to co-author Arash Hazeghi soon; he will surely be adding some additional photos of his. It will be available here for purchase fairly soon.
We had fresh flounder for dinner and Mishael prepared a scrumptious broccoli salad for us. I thought that it was from some secret Trinidadian family recipe but it turns out the he found a recipe on line and added a few twists of his own. He made a huge salad bowl full and we just about polished it off.
Today, Friday 16 May 2025, is Mashael’s last morning. We are both excited as we are putting out a 3 foot long young American Alligator for the vultures. I found it — freshly dead, in the shallow water just south of the pier on Wednesday morning. I put a slit in the belly, hopefully to help the vultures get started on the carcass. I hope that you too opt to enjoy life and have a wondrous day.
There is still AirBnB room at Jacksonville from Thursday 26 June until 1 July. If you would like to change your life, please get in touch via e-mail. You can see the complete trip info here.
If an item — a Delkin flash card, or especially, a Levered-clamp FlexShooter Pro tripod head -— for example, that is available from B&H and/or Bedfords, is also available in the BAA Online Store, it would be great, and greatly appreciated, if you would opt to purchase from us. We will match any price. Please remember also to use my B&H affiliate links or to earn 3% cash back at Bedfords by using the BIRDSASART discount code at checkout for your major gear purchases. If you are making a major purchase from B&H be sure to get in touch with me via e-mail if you would like to learn how to save some serious dollars on a B&H transaction. Doing either often earns you free guides and/or discounts. And always earns my great appreciation.
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B&H
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Bedfords Amazing BAA Discount Policy
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Visit the Bedfords website here, shoot Steve Elkins an e-mail, or text him on his cell phone at (479) 381-2592.
Gear Questions and Advice
Too many folks attending BAA IPTs and dozens of photographers whom I see in the field and on BPN, are — out of ignorance — using the wrong gear, especially when it comes to tripods and more especially, tripod heads. And the same is true in spades when ordering new camera bodies or lenses. My advice will often save you some serious money and may help you avoid making a seriously bad choice. Please know that I am always glad to answer your gear questions via e-mail. If you are desperate, you can try me on my cell at 863-221-2372. Please leave a message and shoot me a text if I do not pick up.
Image #1: Sandhill Crane colt about 8 weeks old running
Image courtesy of and copyright 2025: Misheal Voison
Image optimization by Arthur Morris/BIRDS AS ART
Score one for the Canon Student
It goes without saying the Mishael has been learning a ton. About sun angle, about head angle, about choosing the best perspective, and about exposure to mention only a few. On Wednesday, I discovered that he did not have Highlight Alert enabled on his R5 ii; that is a cardinal sin for Canon folks. Anyhoo, we got it straightened out. When one of the parent birds grabbed a morsel and offered it to the colts, this one ran right to it. For some unknown reason, I zoomed in instead of out, clipped everything in sight, and did not wind up with a single useable frame. Misheal had several really good ones with Image #1 being the best of the lot.
Every afternoon we do a lengthy image review and Photoshop session. I am very proud of Mishael for improving his exposure skills so quickly; he nailed this one every which way but loose. So far, we have optimized seven of his best images; he will be leaving with a detailed screen recording of each of those. We still have two more sessions in store.
This image was created on 14 May 2025 at Indian Lake Estates, FL. Working from the front seat of his SUV, artie used the BLUBB--supported Sony FE 600mm f/4 GM OSS lens with the Sony FE 2x Teleconverter, and The Latest Greatest Sony Flagship Body, the a-1 II Mirrorless Camera. The exposure was determined by Zebras with ISO on the rear wheel. ISO 1250: 1/1600 second at f/8 (wide open) in Manual mode. RawDigger showed that the exposure was perfect. AWB at 7:28:30am on sunny afternoon.
Wide/AF-C with Bird-Eye/Face Detection performed perfectly. Click on the image to enjoy the inexplicably sharper high-res version.
Image #2: Sandhill Crane colt about 11 weeks old strengthening its wings while running
Image copyright 2025: Arthur Morris/BIRDS AS ART
1200mm Action
With Mishael in the back seat and the North Field too flooded to drive on, I explained to him that we could make some nice photos from the road at 1200mm while working with a shallow angle of declination. With such a long focal length, the images will not look as if you were shooting steeply down at the subject.
Misheal was shooting horizontals and I was shooting verticals. When the bird ran forward to exercise its wings, we were both so tight that we clipped the wings badly in all but one of our images. That being Image #2 created by yours truly. Working horizontally, Mishael pretty much had zero chance. Score one for the instructor. Following action while using a BLUBB- is somewhat of a challenge. Remember that you need to have DMF turned off or risk inadvertently throwing off the focus.
Typos
With all blog posts, feel free to e-mail or to leave a comment regarding any typos or errors.
